A letter to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was mailed today requesting a public hearing on the Army Corp of Engineers' proposal to dredge the small boat harbor at Burns Waterway and place the sand on the beach at Ogden Dunes.
Signed by Town Council President Brad Wood, the letter was accompanied by the required petition containing more than 25 signatures of Ogden Dunes residents.
In the letter, Brad Wood noted that residents have expressed deep concern about the project and that residents need more information on permitting process. "While we recognize that the Public Notice sent by USACE was very preliminary, we are very concerned about this project and potential impacts on the beach and Lake Michigan," said Wood. "We also believe that our residents need to be more fully informed on how the permitting process is supposed to work."
Concern about the process stems from the fact that the Public Notice was apparently sent to residents before any sort of application was received by DNR or the Indiana Department of Environmental Management; and it provided very sketchy information on the project. Furthermore, the Notice neglected to let residents know how much time they had to respond to request a Public Hearing.
Another concern expressed in the letter is the timing and methodology of the testing completed by USACE. With the significant flooding that occurred in September, residents are understandably concerned about the impact that flooding may have had on the sediments in the proposed area to be dredged. "Our residents are not comfortable with tests results that would have been completed prior to that date and want tests to be completed again," said Wood on the letter.
The Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board has submitted a Freedom of Information request for more information on the project, such as test results and methodology used. We will keep you informed as more information is gathered.
Signed by Town Council President Brad Wood, the letter was accompanied by the required petition containing more than 25 signatures of Ogden Dunes residents.
In the letter, Brad Wood noted that residents have expressed deep concern about the project and that residents need more information on permitting process. "While we recognize that the Public Notice sent by USACE was very preliminary, we are very concerned about this project and potential impacts on the beach and Lake Michigan," said Wood. "We also believe that our residents need to be more fully informed on how the permitting process is supposed to work."
Concern about the process stems from the fact that the Public Notice was apparently sent to residents before any sort of application was received by DNR or the Indiana Department of Environmental Management; and it provided very sketchy information on the project. Furthermore, the Notice neglected to let residents know how much time they had to respond to request a Public Hearing.
Another concern expressed in the letter is the timing and methodology of the testing completed by USACE. With the significant flooding that occurred in September, residents are understandably concerned about the impact that flooding may have had on the sediments in the proposed area to be dredged. "Our residents are not comfortable with tests results that would have been completed prior to that date and want tests to be completed again," said Wood on the letter.
The Ogden Dunes Environmental Advisory Board has submitted a Freedom of Information request for more information on the project, such as test results and methodology used. We will keep you informed as more information is gathered.
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