Morrow Dam Second Violation

S TATE OF M ICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENT, GREAT LAKES, AND ENERGY
GRETCHEN WHITMER K ALAMAZOO DISTRICT OFFICE LIESL EICHLER CLARK
GOVERNOR DIRECTOR
September 16, 2020
VN No. SVN-00974
VIA EMAIL AND CERTIFIED MAIL
Mr. David H. Fox

Director, Licensing and Compliance
Eagle Creek Renewable Energy
Two Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 1330
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Fox:
SUBJECT: Second Violation Notice-Morrow Dam

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Project No. 9000 –
Emergency Drawdown
Property Location: Comstock Township, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
The purpose of this letter is to notify Eagle Creek Renewable Energy (ECRE) of
continued violations of Part 31, Water Resources Protection, of the Natural Resources
and Environmental Protection Act, (NREPA), Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of
the NRPEA and Part 303, Wetlands Protection, of the NREPA ; to inform ECRE of its
obligations under Part 201, Environmental Remediation; and to identify actions
necessary to address ongoing violations and immediately reduce downstream turbidity
resulting from the extended drawdown at the Morrow Dam.
To date, the turbidity curtains installed at the end of July and beginning of August, 2020
have not been effective in reducing transport of sediment from the impoundment based
on readings from ECRE’s turbidity meters, as well as continued Michigan Department of
Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) sampling, showing significantly elevated
turbidity downstream of the impoundment and immediately upstream of the
impoundment, as compared to areas above Morrow Lake. Significant areas of sediment
deposition have been observed and documented downstream. This information
suggests that the lowered impoundment is and will continue to be a substantial source
of sediment being mobilized to downstream areas until appropriate and effective
corrective measures are implemented.
Notice under Part 31, 301, and 303

As stated in WRD’s July 8, 2020 Violation Notice VN-010802, the continued discharge
of sediment laden water and unnatural turbidity into waters of the state is a violation of
Mr. David H. Fox
Page 2
September 16, 2020
Section 3109(1) of Part 31. Discharge of fill material within the 100-year floodplain
without a permit is a violation of Section 3108(1) of Part 31. Unauthorized filling of river
bottomlands is a violation of Section 30102(1) of Part 301. Additionally, the lowering of
Morrow Lake resulted in the diminishment of an inland lake in violation of Section
30102(d) of Part 301 and the draining of surface waters from wetlands in violation of
Section 30304(d) of Part 303. As previously stated, the drawdown was conducted in
violation of Part 301, Part 31, and Part 303. These violations have not been resolved
and are ongoing.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Fisheries

Division, numerous adverse natural resource impacts, including but not limited to
aquatic organisms, recreational uses, and stream geomorphology are expected as a
result of the ongoing drawdown:
Notice under Part 201

Persons who are liable for a facility pursuant to Section 20126 of Part 201 include the
owners or operators of the facility who are responsible for an activity causing a release
or threatened release of a hazardous substance. ECRE is the owner or operator of the
Morrow Dam Facility (Facility). ECRE was an owner or operator of the Facility at the
time of the release of hazardous substances at the Facility, and responsible for an
activity causing the release of hazardous substances into the environment. Therefore,
ECRE is a person who is liable under Section 20126(1) of Part 201.
Obligations under Part 201

As a liable party under Part 201, ECRE is responsible for:
(1) addressing the contamination at the Facility as provided in Section 20114 of
Part 201, (2) all costs lawfully incurred by EGLE for addressing the contamination or
undertaking response activities, (3) any other costs for response activity reasonably
incurred by any other person, and (4) damages for the value of injury to, destruction of,
or loss of natural resources.
ECRE has an affirmative obligation to comply with Section 20114 of Part 201, which
lists the steps required of a liable party to address environmental contamination. These
steps include, as applicable:
 Place additional curtains on the Kalamazoo River channel banks to prevent
further liberation of sediment
 Immediately taking measures to contain or remove the contamination source;
 Immediately identifying and eliminating any threat of fire or explosion or direct
contact hazards;
 Notifying EGLE and affected neighbors if contamination has migrated off the
property;
 Immediately initiating removal of a hazardous substance that is in a liquid phase;
and
Mr. David H. Fox
Page 3
September 16, 2020
 Defining the nature and extent of contamination and undertaking response

activities to achieve Part 201 cleanup criteria.
Performance of Response Activities

State law, including Part 201 of the NREPA, authorizes EGLE to use public funds to
undertake actions to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and the
environment. A person who is liable under Section 20126 of the NREPA is jointly and
severally liable for all costs, including any associated interest, that are lawfully incurred
by the state relating to the selection and implementation of response activity under
Part 201, including the response activities specified by Sections 20107a, 20114, 20118,
20120a, 20120b, 20120c, 20120d and 20120e of Part 201 of the NREPA and Part 10 of
the Part 201 Administrative Rules. Pursuant to state, federal, or common law, including
Sections 20126a and 3115(2) of the NREPA, MCL 324.20126a and 324.3115(2), and
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980,
as amended (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9607(a), a liable person is subject to cost recovery
actions by the state or federal government for all response activity costs incurred by
either at a facility.
In consideration of the violations and subsequent resource impacts detailed above,

EGLE requests that the following response activities (or comparable) be completed.
Prior to the commencement of response activities, ECRE should submit a response
plan to our office for review:
These response activities may include:

 Installation of boom and curtain along the Kalamazoo River channel banks
through Morrow Lake to prevent further erosion of exposed bank soft
sediment containing PCBs from river channel side scour and overbank runoff
during precipitation events.
 Installation and maintenance of a series of sediment traps along the main
river channel, properly engineered and located to prevent the downstream
migration of bedload material from within Morrow Lake and from areas of
sediment accumulation that have occurred downstream of the dam as a
result of the drawdown.
 Installation of engineering controls to address head cutting occurring in the
upstream river channel areas within Morrow Lake to prevent further sediment
mobilization within the river channel from degradation and downcutting of the
channel bed.
 Installation of cofferdams and/or other grade control to partially re-impound
Morrow Lake to a level that would reduce sediment recruitment and migration
but maintain hydraulic capacity of the dam and limit upstream flooding risk.
Please be advised that this letter serves as formal notice that EGLE has referred
this issue to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct emergency
Mr. David H. Fox
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September 16, 2020
response efforts and EPA is prepared to conduct the necessary response activities
at the Facility should ECRE not fulfill its responsibilities as outlined above.
If ECRE does not voluntarily perform the response activities required by Part 201,
please also be advised that Section 20137(1)(f) of the NREPA provides for the
assessment of a civil fine of up to $10,000 for each day of violation of Part 201 and
its administrative rules. Furthermore, a person who violates the due care provisions
of Section 20107a(1) is liable for response activity costs and natural resource
damages attributable to any exacerbation of existing contamination and for any civil
fines that may be imposed under Part 201. Please note, Part 31, Part 301, and Part
303 also provide for the assessment of civil fines for violations of each of those
parts.
As requested in VN-010802, ECRE should submit a plan, for EGLE review and
approval, to assess the impacts to aquatic resources and stream functions of the
Kalamazoo River including, but not limited to, water quality, biology, and
geomorphology. Evaluation of the magnitude and spatial extent of the sediment
released and deposited downstream as a result of the drawdown, including
collection of bathymetry data for areas downstream of the dam where sediment may
have accumulated, should be completed.
Please respond to this notice no later than September 23, 2020 indicating whether
you intend to undertake the response activities identified above. Please include a
response plan, for EGLE review, documenting what activities will be undertaken and
methods to be utilized. Commencement of response activities shall take place no
later than October 7, 2020.
Upon ceasing the ongoing violations of the NREPA by conducting the response
activities described above, EGLE will contact you to discuss resolution of all
unauthorized impacts and violations.
To discuss any of the items in this letter further, or if you have any questions, please
contact us at EGLE, 7953 Adobe Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009. Thank you for
your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kyle Alexander David Haywood

Kalamazoo District Supervisor Kalamazoo District Supervisor
Water Resources Division Remediation and Redevelopment Division
269-568-2681 269-547-0604
Mr. David H. Fox
Page 5
September 16, 2020
DH:SE
cc: Senator Sean McCann

Representative Brandt Iden
Ms. Michelle Mohney, Comstock Township Clerk
Mr. James Baker, City of Kalamazoo
Mr. Tom Weaver, U.S. Geological Survey
Ms. Jennifer Palodino, FERC
Ms. Kim Nguyen, FERC
Mr. John Zygaj, FERC
Ms. Jessica Pruden, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr. Scott Hicks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ms. Lisa Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Mr. Jim Saric, EPA
Ms. Cheryl Vosburg, Kalamazoo River Watershed Council
Ms. Elizabeth Binoniemi-Smith, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi
Mr. John Rodwan, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Pottawatomi
Ms. Jodi Smet, ECRE
Mr. Jay Wesley, MDNR
Mr. Brian Gunderman, MDNR
Mr. Matt Diana, MDNR
Mr. Jessica Mistak, MDNR
Ms. Kesiree Thiamkeelakul, MDNR
Mr. Kyle Kruger, MDNR
Mr. Jerrod Sanders, EGLE
Ms. Amy Lounds, EGLE
Mr. Luis Saldivia, EGLE
Ms. Anne Garwood EGLE
Mr. Derek Haroldson, EGLE
Mr. Luke Trumble, EGLE
Mr. John Bayha, EGLE
Mr. Chris Lantinga, EGLE
Mr. Dan Peabody, EGLE
Ms. Bree Bennett, EGLE
Mr. David O’Donnell, EGLE
Mr. Dan Yordanich, EGLE

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S TATE OF M ICHIGAN

September 16, 2020

VIA EMAIL AND CERTIFIED MAIL

Mr. David H. Fox

Dear Mr. Fox:

SUBJECT: Second Violation Notice-Morrow Dam

Notice under Part 31, 301, and 303

According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), Fisheries

Notice under Part 201

Obligations under Part 201

 Defining the nature and extent of contamination and undertaking response

Performance of Response Activities

In consideration of the violations and subsequent resource impacts detailed above,

These response activities may include:

Kyle Alexander David Haywood

cc: Senator Sean McCann

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