Rouge Project Comments: Reply from the Army Corps of Engineers

I've discovered "The Agency Tone" of written voice. Very polite! Possibly because I submitted comments over a month ago (several agencies dealing with the National Environmental Protection Act [NEPA] are obligated to give response within the month of communications from the public).  Having spoken to EPA employees, the EPA has legal obligation to respond to any citizen communications--probably within a month timeframe too.  

The Army Corps of Engineers  (ACE--what a fine acronym to have!) was supposed to respond with 30 days (I'm no longer sure, but I suspect it's a direct stipulation from NEPA), but I had to prod them earlier in December to see if there'd be any follow-up.

This is about as exciting as I'd imagine getting a personal letter from an elected official. For those who can't really see what's here--it's a personal letter from the DOD's Army Corps of Engineers in response to my questions--stamped and signed too! 

In reply to my procedural and project comments to the Army Corps of Engineers from November, Detroit district sent a personal letter with detailed replies to both comment sets I submitted.

One of my primary concerns involved the poor degree of outreach--had it not been for friends who major in environmental studies/science and work with the Friends of the Rouge, I might not have known about the proposal at all!

It turns out (as you'll see in their reply letter) the Army Corps of Engineers did what they could and needed to inform local governments and organizations. From what I read, the ACE's response to one of my questions (about watershed outreach plans) means that promotion/marketing/pr is more of an issue than having the right community stakeholders and closer coordination between federal and local government.

I suspect poor infrastructure for communication and outreach is an endemic issue for our beloved but under-budgeted/staffed local governments and not-for-profit organizations alike.

Also, I learned county government plays a more significant role in the project than previously thought.

I believe PR organizations/institutions and colleges (with education and marketing programs or willing interns from any discipline) can better help coordinate and promote the outreach in the future.

Page 1 (click the image[s] to read)
I'll let you decide what happened with
the date that they entered--by the looks of things
I submitted my comments in the future!
Also, I couldn't resist blacking out my address
on a government document,
it now looks even more official than the original.

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4  Hand signed with a real person's signature!

A random remark: this post has a lot of meta text--I wrote (and you read) about photos of writing--how odd!


And my follow-up e-mail (from Dec. 8th):
To whom it may concern,

I submitted a procedural recommendation on Monday Nov. 7th and (according to my e-mail) comments on Nov. 8th at 12:00 AM and would like to know about the status of the project. I did not receive any message of acknowledgement or reply within the 30 day timeframe and therefore am writing to request for follow up.

I hope the procedural recommendation merits a reply since it was submitted within the comment deadline.

Thank you...

Public Hearing at EIC Feb. 10th: Our Say for the Rouge River

This Wednesday the 10th of Feb. at 7:00 pm, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment is holding a public meeting at the UM-Dearborn's Environmental Interpretive Center concerning modifications to our water treatment system. Public comments will be accepted through February 12, 2010.

This is a fine opportunity for all students to engage our greater community and consider our impacts on the social, economic, and ecological environment of Southeastern Michigan. Even if you're not yet ready to join the discussion concerning the science and policy, it is a great opportunity to observe and learn how what we do is affected by past actions and influences our future conduct as a region through a local civic event. Also, students in the Environmental Science and Studies program can receive ESCI 395 credit for attending this meeting (be sure to take notes and ask good questions!).

As I understand it from the attached document, a proposed Rouge River water treatment facility will treat stormwater runoff and primary effluent (physically strained waste water/sewage with basic treatment) with provisions to disinfect and dechlorinate any storm water runoff (water collected from storm drains off streets, etc.) that combines with the treated sewage and overflows and goes into the river. Discussion for alternatives to how we currently approach the waste water infrastructure is another focus of the meeting.

Among the alternative recommendations, investment in "green infrastructure", which I'd explain as preventative storm water treatment that creates natural spaces and other natural rain retention features, and let them do their job in trapping storm water. The Great Lakes Report blog has detailed financial coverage and some more history behind the Rouge River Outflow project, and there's also this link that explains the project.


As you may be aware, our Campus and much of Southeast Michigan is part of and is influenced by the status of the Rouge River--tap water for many people in the area is collected downstream of the Rouge River in Detroit and will be downstream of the proposed treatment site.

Author and historian Ginger Strand notes the following about infrastructure:
"Most of us take infrastructure for granted but we shouldn't; it tells us a lot about ourselves. The massive investment in designing, building and maintaining infrastructure is one of a society's most utopian actions: through it we seek to remake the world. Hydroinfrastructure, for example, shows our conviction that the perfect world has easy access to cold drinks and hot showers. It also links country and city through the flow of one of earth's most elemental substances, demonstrating that the worlds of 'nature' and 'culture' are not as separate as we often believe."

Similarly, the responsibility inherent to our belief in access to a healthy place for all to live is vested in events like these.

Here's to the River!

10 Feb. 2010 Update:
There's a snow day at the campus. The following information may be useful to all interested persons:

All interested parties are invited to present comments on the proposed NPDES permit. Persons unable to attend the public meeting and hearing may submit comments through February 12, 2010. This information will be considered prior to taking action on the permit. For additional information contact Thomas Knueve, Permits Section, Water Bureau, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, P.O. Box 30273, Lansing, Michigan 48909, telephone: 517-241-9535; e-mail: knuevet@michigan.gov.