Grand Haven details Harbor Island PFAS, CCR investigation; $1.09 million in congressional funds reported

Derek Gaitos, the city’s project manager, and Laura Zawaida, HDR’s Harbor Island project manager, updated the Grand Haven City Council on July 21 about ongoing investigations and planning for remediation of contamination on Harbor Island, including PFAS sampling, CCR (coal combustion residuals) issues and verification of coal‑pile removal.

The presentation described a three‑phase remedial investigation work plan that will expand monitoring wells and borings, add permanent monitoring points where temporary vertical aquifer samples were previously taken, and gather data on the groundwater–surface water interface between the island and the Grand River. Gaitos told council the Phase 1 field work is planned for summer and fall and that the city expects to begin drawing more definitive conclusions in early 2026.

The plan matters because the data will be used to evaluate remediation alternatives, better estimate cost and constructability, and prepare submittals to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and federal regulators. "This next plan ... you'll see at your second meeting in August. You should be getting the cost associated with that," Gaitos said. "We're getting really close. We're getting really close."

Why the issue is significant

PFAS chemicals and CCR on Harbor Island have regulatory, public‑health and budget implications for the city. Council members pressed staff for a clearer…