Contamination blocks Flint redevelopment

Responsibility for cleanup of old GM sites makes investors hesitant

By Randy Conat | ABC 12
August 26, 2009

FLINT—There are four former General Motors sites in Genesee County that are sitting idle and waiting for redevelopment.

These brownfields have ground pollution issues which could lead to liability problems for investors.

ABC12's Randy Conat says supporters of one proposed project hope to clear that hurdle soon.

The Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce held a community forum to talk about the future of the brownfields. Current environmental laws could make redevelopment of the land, including the old Buick City Complex, difficult.

Bill Winiarski is the chairman of the Genesee County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. "It is the long-term liability, the prospect of a very expensive clean up project sometime in the future that the new investor or investors do no want to assume."

Developers want to turn part of that site into an intermodal transportation hub for truck and rail freight.

"The proposed intermodal project is estimated to create approximately 400 direct jobs and dozens of indirect jobs. This represents a great deal of wealth creation in Flint and Genesee County," said Ed Donovan with the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce.

About 120 people, including community leaders and pollution control experts, attended the meeting.

The Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce says it wants to "unlock the liability issue" before it's too late.  "There's a sense of urgency on this project. We have already lost one investor," said chamber CEO Tim Herman.

"It is the last barrier to this project, and we must work through the issue to resolve it before the snow falls or this investor who has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on due diligence on the this project may leave," Winiarski said.

Those who support the intermodal project have been meeting with the EPA to clear up any pollution liability issues. Without changes, some are afraid the land could end up in the hands of speculators and be tied up for years to come.

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