(WXYZ) — Wayne County Executive Warren Evans says radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project won't be coming to Van Buren Township after all.
Evans released the following statement saying the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will ship the waste to another state:
I have to say I am extremely relieved by the decision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ship the leftover radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project to another state, which means it will not be coming here to Wayne County.
Wayne County was the original destination for that toxic material before Judge Kevin Cox of the Wayne County Circuit Court granted a temporary restraining order, which was sparked by strenuous community pushback. This pushback molded a collaborative effort involving citizens, communities and government entities that resulted in a successful lawsuit. Although I certainly do not envy the community that will receive this waste, it was my job to fight for the people of Wayne County and that’s what I did to the best of my ability.
The restraining order preventing contaminated soil from New York from being brought to Michigan was put in place in September 2024.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Judge suspends delivery of radioactive soil from New York to Michigan
It was supposed to be shipped to the Wayne Disposal facility, just off I-94 in Van Buren Township, a hazardous landfill run by Republic Services.
The waste was set to come from the Niagara Falls Storage site that dates back to the 1940s, where the Lewiston, New York, facility became a primary storage location for byproducts associated with uranium ore refining for atomic bombs as part of the Manhattan Project.
The announcement that the material would be coming to Michigan caused concern in many of the surrounding communities.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Community worried as radioactive waste heads for Wayne County landfill
