Former Four Star Property (South Haven, Van Buren County)

Rachel Golota, GolataR@Michigan.gov or 269-370-2404.

The Former Four Star Property is located at 1391 Kalamazoo Street and operated as a nickel plating facility used for decorative automobile trim under various ownership from 1964 until 1983, including the Four Star Company. Previous investigations and remediation at the site were funded by the Brownfield Redevelopment and Financing Act. These activities abruptly stopped in 2005 when the property was split and sold. The site was evaluated by EGLE in June 2022 as part of a pilot study to reduce the number of locations where we haven't determined the risk. The Former Four Star Property was sampled for PFAS in the fall of 2022 due to the probable use of PFAS in the plating manufacturing process.

Groundwater generally flows to the west towards Lake Michigan. Several storm sewer catch basins on and near the property flow into an unnamed creek. The creek travels approximately ¾ mile through South Haven's industrial subdivision into a residential neighborhood and ultimately flows into Lake Michigan.

Content posted in January 2023.

The Former Four Star Property is located within the industrial subdivision of South Haven and municipal water is available. The closest residential drinking water wells are located approximately ¼ mile northeast of the property. EGLE, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the local health department are evaluating nearby residential wells to determine if any sampling is needed.

DHHS and the local health department are evaluating nearby residential wells to determine if any sampling is needed. EGLE will hire a contractor to develop a plan to delineate the nature and extent of contamination in soil and groundwater beginning the spring of 2023. The investigation will include installation of groundwater monitoring wells, groundwater sampling, storm sewer sampling, and surface water sampling.