Public comments requested on Buffalo Reef stamp sands project
GAY, Mich. (WJMN) – The Buffalo Reef Task Force has narrowed down its plans for disposing of stamp sands in the Keweenaw Peninsula, and as part of the process public feedback is being accepted on these plans.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Buffalo Reef is a 2,200-acre natural cobble that lays beneath Grand Traverse Bay, about 20 miles northeast of Houghton. In late January, the multi-agency Buffalo Reef Task Force issued its draft alternatives analysis of three stamp sands disposal locations. Stamp sands, a waste product from copper ore milling operations, threatens to cover the reef. The reef is important for lake trout and lake whitefish spawning.
EGLE releases concept for Buffalo Reef jetty in Lake Superior stamp sand plan
The three alternatives considered in the analysis include building an in-lake barricade around the original stamp sands pile to contain it, disposing of stamp sand in a nearby upland landfill or hauling the material to the mine tailings basins at the former White Pine Mine in Ontonagon County. Jay Parent, district supervisor of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Water Resources Division in Marquette, says the task force decided to pursue the construction of an upland landfill for disposal of stamp sands removed from the Lake Superior shoreline as its preferred alternative course of action.
“There’s a vast amount of stamp sand in Lake Superior right now. So, one option was to load it up and get it to the old tailings basins at the White Pine Mine which is difficult because there’s not really any infrastructure to do that. The other was to build a couple mile long run revetment around what’s already there in the lake and then pile up sand from the lake on top of that. That wasn’t selected primarily because of the long-term maintenance requirement of the revetment and the likelihood that at some time in the future it’s going to fail, you know, however long.
“So, what was selected was to build a large jetty in the middle of the deposit to kind of stop the sand from moving down the shoreline. And then that will also provide infrastructure to support dredging the sand out of the lake. And then we would have to construct a placement area up on the hill, which is essentially a modern landfill operation to put all the material in,” said Parent.
Public comments are being accepted through March 1, and will be discussed and considered by the Buffalo Reef Task Force. Comments can be directed to Stephanie Swart at swarts@michigan.gov or by mail at EGLE, Water Resources Division, Great Lakes Management Unit, P.O. Box 30458, Lansing, MI 48909-7958. To read the draft alternatives analysis and for more information on the Buffalo Reef you can visit www.michigan.gov/buffaloreef.
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