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STATE OF MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PO Box 30204 Lansing, Michigan 48909 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TAKE NOTICE, that the Geological and Land Management Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing at the Houghton City Council Chambers, 616 Shelden Avenue, Houghton, Michigan, on Tuesday, July 8, 2003 at 7:00 p.m.

The purpose of this hearing is to secure the views of interested persons concerning the following application for permit: 

Application for Permit 03-31-0011-P under Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, Part 303, Wetlands Protection, and Part 315, Dam Safety, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, by City of Houghton, 616 Shelden Avenue, Houghton, Michigan. The applicant proposes to relocate a portion of Old Huron Creek to the east of its present location, relocate the Huron Dam outlet to the northeast corner of the reservoir, fill 5.5 acres of wetland and create 11 acres of wetland mitigation off-site for the construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter at 1000 Razorback Drive. The Supercenter would provide expanded services from the existing Wal-Mart store. Approximately 239,000 cubic yards of fill will be placed within 5 acres of wetland for the parking lot and addition to the north, and approximately 9,500 cubic yards of fill will be placed within 0.5 acres of wetland on the east side of the existing store. An 11-acre wetland mitigation will be created on a 40 acre parcel owned by the City of Houghton approximately one mile from the project site. Approximately 350,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated for the pond construction within the proposed mitigation area. Approximately 830 linear feet of Old Huron Creek will be abandoned and 900 linear feet of new creek channel will be created. Approximately 1,500 cubic yards of material will be placed in the abandoned portion of the creek. A 6-foot diameter culvert will be installed to serve as a crossing and flood control structure for the dam. A heavy riprap spillway is also proposed. The dam regeneration project will require 500 cubic yards of riprap, 2,000 cubic yards of excavation and 500 cubic yards of fill. The existing water elevation for the reservoir will be raised from 881.2 to 890.0, which will increase the impoundment to a total of 17.43 acres. The project is located in T54N, R34W, Section 2, Portage Township, Houghton County, Michigan.

The hearing will be held pursuant to Sections 30105, 30307, and 31511 of the cited statutes. The hearing will not be a court-type proceeding; witnesses will not be sworn, and there will be no cross examination. Public hearings are primarily informational and are held to encourage the expression of views and presentation of facts.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will, upon written request, provide a copy of the Department's decision on this application.

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

By:_______________________________________
Wendy Fitzner
Permit Consolidation Unit
Geological and Land Management Division
517-373-9244

Date: June 12, 2003

NOTE: Persons with disabilities needing accommodations for effective participation in this meeting should call the telephone number listed above one week in advance to request mobility, visual, hearing, or other assistance.