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A presentation on the contamination and its cleanup was made by Speedway representatives at the Village Council's regular meeting March 3. According to those representatives, the contamination was first reported by the Department of Environmental Quality in 1992 based on soil and water data. While they are not sure what caused the contamination, a representative said at the time it was believed to have been due to construction on the property.

An underground tank for the gas station rests on village property, necessitating the lease and the clean up.

"The lease hinges on them cleaning up the problem and the contamination on site," Village President Dan Reszka said.

One Speedway representative told the council that the company has a good reputation for working with environmental agencies and cleaning up contamination.

"It's in our best interest to adhere to the laws," he said. "We're concerned about our properties and the neighboring properties."

The representatives added that the cleanup has taken so long due to changes in DEQ regulations, among other factors. The current clean up plan consists of oxidizing the site's groundwater by using a compressor to force dissolved oxygen into it. The compressor will be stored in an onsite insulated storage building so it can be running 24 hours a day. Additionally, decibel levels will be recorded at various points on the property to assess noise pollution. Speedway hopes to bid out the system by late March or early April, with the closure of the contamination coming in mid-2010. The actual lease will be available in the near future, Reszka said, and will contain penalties if the cleanup is not completed on schedule. Brian Keilen can be reached for question or comment at bkeilen@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-264-9711.