A major dredging project in the Flint River remains on schedule.
Consumers Energy is paying to remove tons of coal tar waste along a third of a mile stretch of the river in downtown Flint. The coal tar waste is the legacy of a gasification plant that closed almost a century ago.
Consumers spokesman Kevin Keane says crews recently started using a so-called “moon pool” as part of the dredging work.
“The moon pool is used to contain excavations in the river and it collects sheen and sediments that otherwise might travel over the dam,” says Keane.
Keane says Consumers had to add additional booms to contain sediment and oily sheen from flowing down stream.
Watch the video below to see exclusive footage of the dredging site:
The work is expected to be complete by mid-November.
(In full disclosure, Consumers Energy is a financial supporter of Michigan Radio.)
