Amidst the recent wetlands issue surrounding Elkhorn Lake, Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said Orion Township received a ‘clean bill of health? last month when it comes to some other Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requirements.
The DEQ’s Water Bureau conducted a review of the Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Program within the township, which is part of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
The township was granted ‘approved? status, based on the review.
The program review included evaluation of the township’s local ordinance, staff training, program funding, compliance and enforcement efforts, review of project files and forms and on-site conditions.
The township’s SESC Program is administered by two trained full-time township staff members (Tom Berger and Patrick Damman) as well as two trained consultants (from Orchard Hiltz & McCliment, Inc).
As part of the DEQ review, the on-site conditions were inspected at four sites on Nov. 30, including two residential locations (on Cole Road and Cayuga) and two commercial locations (the Village Square and Powers Distributing Accessory Building).
None were found to be in violation during the inspection and of those locations, only the Village Square has been issued a violation letter in the past.
Dywasuk said the DEQ’s review shows that the township does not take these, or any other environmental issues, lightly. He said the Elkhorn Lake issue will be back on the board’s agenda on Jan. 22.