On May 16th, RACERS Trust hosted a community meeting at Newburgh Village regarding possible contamination in the ground near/beneath Newburgh Village.

Find all the official information: https://www.racertrust.org/livonia

While this is a problem, this is an ongoing matter that is being closely monitored. The contaminant is a carcinogen but is not a threat to the drinking water system (it’s several feet deep in the soil and our drinking water is an independent entity). It has not been shown to be a threat to people, plants, or animals in the areas that have already been impacted.

Background: GM operated a spring and bumper plant in Livonia from 1955 to 1998 and used a solvent Trichloroethylene (TCE) that causes groundwater contamination. In 2006, GM began clean up work in the area including Grantland Street (residential). When GM declared bankruptcy in 2009 the entity responsible for the clean up was gone and the bankruptcy court used funds from the bailout to create the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response (RACER) Trust. Its sole responsibility is remediating and redeveloping former GM properties including this one.

In Livonia, RACER has been monitoring the environmental hazard and helped to redevelop the site (Amazon is now at the former GM plant).

The contaminated soil has migrated from the original plant site southeastward by about 50ft per year. RACER will be testing the soil at Newburgh Village in June to determine the current status of the contamination and develop a plan to address it.

Residents have been informed in writing and there have been in-person meetings.