Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.
Leah Gies, GiesL1@Michigan.gov or 616-215-4781.
5312 11 Mile Road NE consists of approximately 100 acres of vacant residential land. In 2023, EGLE received a Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA) associated with a property transaction for the site. The BEA included sampling data from a 139 feet deep onsite test well, as well as two shallow temporary monitoring wells installed on the western portion of the site adjacent to groundwater seeps entering a creek that borders the site. The deeper test well was non-detect for PFAS. The two shallow groundwater samples had PFOA and PFOS at levels above criteria, with the highest result for PFOA at 23 ppt (compared to 8 ppt) and PFOS at 100 ppt (compared to 16 ppt).
In 2018, as part of the state’s investigation into over 100 alleged Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (Wolverine) waste disposal areas in Northern Kent County, EGLE investigated 5312 11 Mile Road NE, and found no evidence of solid waste or disposal activities during the site reconnaissance. EGLE collected surface water samples from the creek that flows from the northwest corner of the property south towards the Rogue River, along the western property boundary. Low levels of PFAS compounds were detected with PFOA at 8.7 ppt (compared to 170 ppt) and PFOS at 14.9 ppt (compared to 12 ppt). Surface water results are indicated on the North Kent Study Area Data Summary map.
Groundwater in the area likely flows to the west toward the Rogue River. The creek in the western portion of the property flows from north to south.
On July 10, 2023, EGLE sent Wolverine a Compliance Communication letter regarding the property at 9300 Courtland Drive NE, requesting Wolverine to investigate if the PFOS and PFOA groundwater contamination found at the southern adjoining BEA property (5312 11 Mile Road NE) and within nearby drinking water wells was emanating from 9300 Courtland Drive NE.
In response to the July 10, 2023, Compliance Communication, Wolverine began a groundwater investigation at both the 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive NE properties in the fall of 2023. Additionally, during this time, documentation was found that identified sediments from the Rogue River were dredged and deposited onto the 9341 Courtland Drive NE property. Aerial photographs also identified historical disturbances on the 9300 Courtland Drive NE property. Based on this information, Wolverine completed soil sampling at both 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive NE.
On April 17, 2024, Wolverine submitted an Investigation Summary Report summarizing the initial groundwater and soil sampling activities that occurred at 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive NE. Based on review of this data:
On May 30, 2024, EGLE sent Wolverine a Compliance Communication requesting an updated plan for undertaking proposed response activities both on and off of Wolverine’s property at 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive NE.
Wolverine submitted an updated Investigation Summary Report on July 1, 2024. In the fall and winter of 2024, Wolverine has conducted additional source investigation work on the 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive properties consisting of additional soil step-out sampling, the installation of permanent monitoring wells on both the 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive properties, and vertical aquifer profiling (VAP) borings at two off-site locations to the northeast and west. Results of the additional source investigation work are pending.
Content updated January 2025.
Municipal water is available to residents to the west of the site in the City of Rockford; however several drinking water wells remain. Areas north, east, and south of the property are also serviced by private wells.
In 2017-2019, two residential wells in the area were independently sampled as part of development activities on the eastern adjoining parcel and were non-detect for PFAS compounds. EGLE has selected additional drinking water wells to sample in the surrounding area.
As of December 2024, two hundred eighty-one (281) drinking water wells in the area have been sampled. Twenty-four (24) homes exceeded drinking water criteria. The highest result was 110 ppt for PFOS (compared to 16 ppt) and 50 ppt for PFOA (compared to 8 ppt), and seventy-eight (78) homes have detections of PFAS below criteria. One hundred seventy-nine (179) wells were non-detect for PFAS.
EGLE continues to look into long-term solutions for homes where PFAS has been detected and has requested Wolverine World Wide expand their investigation in the area of their headquarter and warehouse properties at 9300 and 9341 Courtland Drive NE. The State is also looking to conduct additional source investigation activities in the area to bolster the understanding of potential PFAS sources in this sampling area. Drive NE Investigations into the source(s) of the contamination are ongoing.
