Evart, Michigan, and surrounding areas are being faced with an industrial monster known as the Michigan Potash & Salt Company ("MPSC"). This endeavor led by Theodore Pagano will have detrimental effects on Osceola counties natural resources and environment. This petition is not the beginning of a public outcry to Michigan's economic development counsel and people of authority such as Gretchen Whitmer, it’s a reminder of how many lives this project affects.

This operation has a lifespan of 150 years, with an annual water allowance of 725 million gallons. This will be taken from surrounding groundwater and watersheds. Not only will this destroy 1,200 gallons of water per minute effectively draining local drinking wells, it will also destroy the diverse wetland infrastructure that other companies like Nestle are currently profiting from. 

This is a small rural population being yet again targeted by big corporations looking to gain economic power amidst war fears, hoping to be lost in headlines of other poor communities in Michigan falling victim to millionaires' business ventures. 

Allies:

https://savemiwater.org/

https://edraofmi.org/

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Operation focuses on solution mining with waste injection wells, a less disruptive method to fracking, but still environmentally disastrous. This process involves drilling down to the potash then pumping heated water and brine (concentrated salt water) into a deep geologic formation known as the A1 Evaporite. These fluids would dissolve salt and potash which would be pumped back to the surface in a continuous cycle. 

Michigan Potash currently has an air permit for the facility, but they are asking to increase the thermal oxidizer heat input from 5.5 million BTU per hour to 20 million BTU per hour. Also increasing the PM10 and PM2.5 emission limits from 88 tons per year to 93 tons per year.

PM10: A type of air pollution that consists of inhalable particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or less. Can include dust, smoke, soot, metals, acids and salts.
PM2.5: A similar pollution, but less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. Sources can include vehicle admissions and industrial activity.  

Requires 3 millions gallons of fresh groundwater per day which will be contaminated by toxic brines. Could create 1.1 billion gallons of unusable freshwater per year.

Due to the facility's location, MPSC could have an effect on 50 plus interconnected wetlands in the surrounding area. 21 wetlands have approved permission to be destroyed or permanently impaired thus far. The largest freshwater marsh in Osceola county is located only 200 yards away from the site.

Osceola and Mecosta will see continual degradation of the environment and destruction of biodiversity. Ken Ford, who’s on the board for the Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation said the site is unsuitable for mining. It slopes on all sides. And it’s in the middle of four creeks that wander through a large freshwater marsh before flowing into the Muskegon River. "They literally could not have picked a worse location for this," Ford said. EGLE has stated that nonpoint pollution isn’t being considered.