ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor has completed a cleanup of contaminated soils at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, allowing outdoor programming to resume.
Following additional testing for contaminants such as arsenic, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has determined remaining soil impacts do not pose an unacceptable risk of exposure to site visitors.
Colin Smith, the city’s parks manager, shared the news with the city’s Park Advisory Commission this week.
“In a nutshell, the arsenic levels are not a concern,” Smith told commissioners.
“All of those tests have come back and the site is going to be cleared for use again shortly, so Leslie Science and Nature Center will be able to resume some programming there, within obviously now the COVID parameters.”
City Council voted last October to approve a $535,438 site investigation and remediation plan to address the pollution at 1831 Traver Road, with the city reimbursed by Washtenaw County’s brownfield cleanup fund.
The city hired environmental consultant Tetra Tech to handle the testing and remediation work after discovery of the pollution paused plans for a new playscape.
The science and nature center sits on property that belonged to Eugene and Emily Leslie from 1923 to 1976 and was gifted to the city when they died. Eugene Leslie was a University of Michigan professor active in the chemical engineering field and the site was headquarters for much of his pioneering work that developed new technologies such as no-knock gasoline.
The property included a chemical laboratory, orchard and residential spaces, according to the city.
While planning for the playscape, the science and nature center and the city discovered chemicals from Eugene Leslie’s laboratory may have been historically dumped in a section of woods near the proposed playscape.
A city-initiated investigation carried out by Tetra Tech revealed in June 2019 there were elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, selenium, silver and mercury in the reported dump area, in addition to semi-volatile and volatile organic compounds.
In a news release this week, the city shared more details about the work done to ensure the area is now safe. Soil samples were collected and analyzed to determine the “bioaccessibility” of the arsenic — the percentage of arsenic available for uptake in a person through ingestion, according to the city.
“This bioaccessible percentage was then used to calculate specific criteria for adults, children and workers on the site to ensure they were not being exposed to unacceptable levels. In each case, the values were below the most stringent criteria developed,” the news release stated.
Three feet of soil was excavated in November 2019 to remove heavy metals previously detected in the former dump area, according to the city.
The soils were disposed at a landfill and the depression area was backfilled with sand and topsoil, officials said.
In a letter to the city late last month, EGLE indicated the city’s actions to prevent or mitigate unacceptable exposures had been satisfactorily implemented.
“In other words, EGLE agrees that the city’s response activities have appropriately addressed the onsite contamination to allow for continued use of the site consistent with the LSNC’s intended use,” the city’s news release states.
Now the center can focus on planning fall outdoor programming adventures for families and campers, said Derek Delacourt, the city’s community services administrator.
While the city owns the property and buildings, the Leslie Science and Nature Center is a separate nonprofit that operates programming at the site.
The city encourages residents to visit www.lesliesnc.org for outdoor programming details.
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September 20, 2020 at 12:24AM
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