Michigan, Army Corps reach compromise on harbor PFAS testing

By Garret Ellison | MLive | June 18, 2025

Read the full article by Garret Ellison (MLive)

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it may dredge the Grand Haven inner harbor this fall as planned after reaching a compromise with state regulators to avoid certain areas suspected to contain toxic PFAS contaminants.

Nick Zager, chief of operations for the Army Corps Detroit District, said the agency is trying to award a contract this summer to dredge near Harbor Island, where shoaling is filling in the Grand River channel near the Verplank Dock in Ferrysburg.

While outer harbor dredging began around the pierheads last week, Grand Haven’s inner harbor was last dredged in 2022. Dropping water levels combined with shoaling since then have caused difficulty for ships delivering aggregates used in road construction. Two freighter groundings occurred in 2023."