Deal reached to fix Detroit Riverfront where dock collapse spilled contaminated soil into river

Revere Dock to pay fine, put in new seawall

DETROIT – A deal has been reached to fix the Detroit Riverfront where a dock collapsed, spilling contaminated soil into the river.

Revere Dock, the company that owns the West Jefferson Avenue property, will pay a fine and put in a new seawall, but the agreement doesn’t mean the company admits any law was violated.

After the dock collapsed last winter, there was a spot along the riverfront where a green ponded area formed.

The Local 4 Defenders have been exposing violations from the company for months.

On Monday, Revere Dock signed an administrative consent agreement with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

Revere Dock will pay a $60,000 fine and receive a permit to proceed with its restoration plan.

“We want to make sure that the cleanup is going to proceed and that it’s handled in a proper way,” said Nick Assendelft, of EGLE media relations.

EGLE officials said Revere Dock’s plan includes a new 600-foot steel seawall and the removal of sediment and bank failure material that spilled into the river last November.

“There are very strict parameters that they have to follow in terms of getting this material out of the river, finding a way to properly dispose of it and making sure that the water gets treated properly,” Assendelft said.

The consent agreement lists four alleged violations of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, but as part of the agreement, “Revere Dock and EGLE agree that the signing of this consent order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by Revere Dock that the law has been violated.”

"They were amenable to it and they agreed to it, so (we) fully anticipate that they will move forward with all the parameters for the agreement, Assendelft said.

As part of the deal, the restoration work at the site is expected to be done by July 2021.

“We are pleased to be able to come to an agreement with the state, which allows us to now focus on building the new seawall, per the state’s highest standards, as permitted last week,” Revere Dock told the Local 4 Defenders in a statement. “Work will begin on the new seawall as soon as feasible.”

Here is a statement from the city of Detroit:

Several months ago, the City of Detroit sued Revere Dock, LLC to address issues pertaining to the dock restoration and improper storing of material. In May, this litigation produced an agreement, requiring Revere Dock, LLC to obtain permits from EGLE and the US Army Corp of Engineers for a dock restoration. Since that settlement was made and pursuant to its terms, the City has received $63,000.00 from Revere Dock, LLC, to redress blight violations and fines associated with the collapsed dock and improper storage.”

Here is a statement from the city of Detroit BSEED & Law Department:

"Several months ago, the city of Detroit sued Revere Dock, LLC to address issues pertaining to the dock restoration and improper storing of material. In May, this litigation produced an agreement, requiring Revere Dock, LLC to obtain permits from EGLE and the US Army Corp of Engineers for a dock restoration. Since that settlement was made and pursuant to its terms, the City has received $63,000.00 from Revere Dock, LLC, to redress blight violations and fines associated with the collapsed dock and improper storage.

“The city of Detroit’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED), has continued to work closely with EGLE regarding Revere Dock, LLC. We have met on several occasions and conducted joint site inspections with the site operator, EGLE, as well as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), to examine conditions based on site restoration and Detroit River remediation. We are confident that the elements outlined within the settlement agreement, provide the most effective means in accomplishing the Detroit River remediation. BSEED will continue to work in tandem with all parties involved via routine inspections and review of supplemental reports, as they become available.”


About the Authors:

Karen Drew is the anchor of Local 4 News First at 4, weekdays at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. She is also an award-winning investigative reporter.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.