A Mecosta County Circuit judge recently turned down a request by an activist group seeking to stop construction of the Ice Mountain Mecosta Plant in Mecosta Township, Mich. Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC), which was seeking to halt the development of the project, submitted its request for a temporary restraining order June 18.
MCWC attempted to stop the plant's construction based on allegations about potential effects of water withdrawals at the spring source in Morton Township, 12 miles east of the plant site.
Extensive groundwater studies by environmental engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie demonstrate that no significant adverse impacts to the environment or nearby residential water supplies will occur as a result of the proposed water withdrawals.
Additional studies by Midwest Aquatics and Mainstream Resources found no potential impacts from the project will affect fisheries, natural wildlife or endangered species.
These issues currently are under review by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The judge's ruling did not address these issues.
