The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 will hold two public meetings and a public hearing on its proposed decision to designate the Michindoh aquifer as the sole source of drinking water for an area comprising nine counties including parts of Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties in Indiana; Branch, Hillsdale and Lenawee counties in Michigan; and Defiance and Fulton counties, and all of Williams County in Ohio. The public comment period on the proposed decision has been extended until Jan. 29.
An informational public meeting is scheduled for Jan. 12, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Hudson High School Cafeteria, 771 N. Maple Grove, Hudson, Mich.
The formal hearing will be from 8 to 9:30 p.m., Jan. 13, New Era Auditorium, 520 W. Mulberry St., Bryan, Ohio. An informal public meeting will be held ahead of the hearing at the same location from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
When an aquifer is designated the sole or principal source of drinking water for an area, EPA must review all federally funded projects in the area to determine potential for contaminating the aquifer. No federal funds may be spent on projects that EPA determines may contaminate the aquifer.
Source: U.S. EPA
