DTE Energy is committed to leading Michigan toward a clean energy future. Part of that commitment includes protecting the environment in which we work and live, and restoring land that once housed (or still houses) energy generation, natural gas operations, historic manufactured gas plants (MGPs), or other industrial uses.
DTE focuses technical and regulatory expertise, and financial investment into remediation of current and former energy related properties, but maintains a keen forward-looking focus on the beneficial redevelopment and reuse opportunities of each unique piece of land that once supported the energy needs of our customers.
The history of many of the energy related properties used for electrical generation, natural gas operations or historic MGP-related sites represent a glimpse into the past. Many of the electrical generation sites originated back in the early-1900s and have provided nearly a century of electricity in some cases. MGP-related sites are even older, dating back to the late-1800s before natural gas became widely available in the 1940s and ‘50s. The MGP-related sites produced manufactured gas from coal which was used for lighting, cooking and heating in homes and businesses that fueled the progress and development of cities in Michigan. The MGP-related sites were owned and operated by companies that eventually became a part of DTE Energy through a series of company acquisitions in the 1900s. Since electrical generation and MGP-related sites were decommissioned, numerous environmental investigations have been completed in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and its predecessors. In addition, each site involves various stakeholders which include the public, non-governmental organizations, municipalities, developers, other utilities/businesses, and decision makers.
DTE remediation sites are generally managed under State of Michigan regulations in strong collaboration with EGLE and a broad group of stakeholders to identify cleanup goals and future use opportunities for each site. DTE has identified a total of 20 historic MGP-related sites that were operated by DTE’s predecessors that have required environmental investigations and cleanups.
Environmental cleanups are reviewed by EGLE. If EGLE determines that the cleanup complies with applicable regulations, the agency will approve the cleanup and consider the site closed. As of June 2021, 20 partial or completed approvals have been received at MGP-related sites since 2014 and the remaining closures are expected to be obtained in the next several years. In addition, 33 partial or completed approvals have been received at non-MGP sites.
See Table below for a summary of all environmental cleanup sites that have achieved partial or complete closures since 2014.
|
Total or Partial Closures |
|
||
|
Year |
MGP-Related Sites |
Non-MGP Sites |
Total Sites Closed / Partially Closed |
|
2014 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
|
2015 |
4 |
12 |
16 |
|
2016 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
|
2017 |
4 |
5 |
9 |
|
2018 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
2019 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
2020 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
2021* |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
20 |
33 |
53 |
Note:
– MGP = Manufactured Gas Plant
– * = As of June 2021
Many of the historic electrical generation sites and MGP-related sites are located on major rivers and they are part of the local redevelopment focus on public usable riverfront spaces. As DTE’s coal generation fleet continues to be retired and is replaced by natural gas and renewable energy, the former coal generation sites are being decommissioned with foresight to best serve the communities into the future. Remediation and closure have been achieved at over half of the former MGP locations, allowing the properties to be redeveloped for a variety of uses. Each site cleanup is different and involves a stakeholder team that is unique to the cleanup, and where appropriate, re-use or redevelopment. Some redevelopment highlights include properties along the Detroit River being cleaned up to allow redevelopment into City of Detroit parks, unique commercial and residential waterfront redevelopment opportunities, and supporting the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy to expand the RiverWalk to achieve the goal of a walkable riverfront in the City of Detroit. Other successful cleanup projects have supported redevelopment that include a Community College in Grand Rapids, and redevelopment in downtown Muskegon. Future redevelopment and public use projects are being planned in the City of Ann Arbor that include integrating waterfront access in Downtown Ann Arbor with the regional Border-to-Border Trail goals.
DTE is committed to cleanup these properties in a way that they can continue to be used productively in their current state, or support re-use, redevelopment, or other productive use in the local communities. We follow an accounting process that ensures that the cost of cleanup is fully recognized, and those funds are set aside in a way to support cleanup. We have a rigorous process that continuously evaluates whether the funds are sufficient to clean up the properties based on the most current information and adjusts available funds throughout the year.