An environmental cleanup project in Independence Township’s southeast corner is proceeding, but the cost threatens the future of the Oakland County Sportsmen’s Club’s charitable giving.
Depending on finances, it may also threaten part of the environment the club hopes to preserve.
Excavators are preparing a holding area for more than 16,000 cubic yards to be dredged from about 1,100 lineal feet of sediment from the Clinton River, where lead has been discovered.
Richard Lemaster Jr., scheduled to be installed at the sportsmen’s club new president this week, has been project manager for the dredging since last year. While he gives credit to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for their help and understanding, he is concerned about both public perception and the financial impact.
‘We’ve been working with the state pretty closely and they’ve been helping us out a lot,? Lemaster aid. ‘We’ve been jumping through hoops and doing everything they’ve required us to do.?
According to MDEQ documents, hydraulic dredging equipment will remove sediment and pump it upland, where it will be placed in ‘geotubes? to allow water to drain. The ‘dewatering? will allow fluids to gradually flow back into the river after being filtered through approximately 700 feet of existing wetlands.
Solid lead particles are expected to stay in the ‘geo-textile? bags in the containment site.
A contractor has already moved about 10,000 cubic yards of soil to create the containment area.
‘We’ve moved a lot of dirt,? Lemaster said.
The project was first discussed with MDEQ in 2000 when dead swans were found in the area. While lead shot was found in the swans, and while club members use a shooting range on club property, the club has never admitted culpability in the incident.
‘People automatically started pointing fingers at us,? Lemaster said. ‘We’ve been here for 60 years, and before 2000 there was never any mass kills of swans.?
The amount of lead found in some of the swans led to some suspicion of foul play, Lemaster said, and other causes of death were possible.
‘If it is us, it’s not just us,? he said. ‘There’s other things involved here.?
Regardless, the club agreed to the dredging project, recognizing the potential for more drastic rulings from MDEQ.
While the dredging project should be complete within 10 weeks, environmental monitoring will be a long-term task, as will the challenge of paying the bill. Lemaster said an attorney quoted a cost of $200,000, but, ‘We’re going to far exceed that.?
The all-volunteer, 1,800-member club has already faced challenges with finances for improvement projects. The spring task list also includes a new earth berm and wall at the adjacent Waterford Hills Raceway (also operated by the sportsmen’s club) in response to local residents? complaints about noise.
‘All these expenses are really cutting into our budget,? Lemaster said. While the club has been involved in high-profile fund-raising for projects such as children’s medical expenses in the past, ‘Right now we have to concentrate our time to raise money for these projects.?
A letter-writing campaign to members and outdoor sports suppliers has generated about $35,000, and a special fund-raiser last year added $20,000, but there’s still a long way to go.
‘It’s pretty rough,? Lemaster said, noting the difficulty of maintaining youth programs and the like. ‘We’re all volunteers. We do things for good and people keep kicking us in the shins, calling up with complaints and calling us swan killers.?
One possibility for additional funds could be to allow removal of trees from the club’s heavily wooded property. While it would generate some money, it would also detract from the beauty of the facility used for camping, shooting, archery and other outdoor activities.
‘That’s something we really don’t want to do. They’re just aren’t many areas like this in Oakland County anymore,? Lemaster said.
To donate toward the project or to learn more about the Oakland County Sportsmen’s Club, call (248) 240-8096.