Rockford-area residents ask for accountability in PFAS town hall

On Thursday, residents of Cannon and Courtland Townships heard an update from the state on its now yearlong investigation into new PFAS detections in area residential wells.

Near the main offices of Wolverine Worldwide, along and to the east of Courtland Drive — from 12 Mile Road in the north to the Luton Park area in the south — nearly 200 private wells were tested by EGLE and the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team. Of these wells, PFAS were detected in 59 of them, 24 of which exceed the state's standard for safe drinking water.

EGLE

First discovered in two shallow groundwater wells at 5312 11 Mile Road in 2023, the scope of the PFAS site has expanded to an area of multiple square miles as additional wells have yielded positive results.

Shortly after the first detection, EGLE ordered Wolverine Worldwide to determine whether PFAS were flowing from its nearby facilities. During this time, documentation also revealed the footwear company had dredged and dumped contaminated sediment from the Rogue River onto its property.

"They know dang bloomin’ well what is happening here," said a man who lives "right next door" to Wolverine's facility. "It's devastating to my family."

During the public comment section of the meeting — held at Rockford High School — the man revealed his family's shared fight against cancer, certain types of which have been linked to high PFAS exposure.

His wife battled breast cancer twice and lost a kidney to the disease. His daughter fought it, too. For him, testicular cancer: "We’re getting a little bit irritated," he said. "I'm sorry for sounding upset, but I am."

The town hall also featured the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART), the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS), and Leah Gies, the PFAS site lead for EGLE, who detailed how the state was continuing to confirm the source(s) of the contamination, largely believed to be related to Wolverine Worldwide's activity.

The state reiterated that it would continue testing and pay for the installation of water filters at residences where PFAS had been detected, also noting that Wolverine Worldwide recently agreed with EGLE to sample for the forever chemicals both on-site at its Rockford-area facility and at two off-site locations.

"In my opinion, that's woefully short of what should be done," said another during public comment.

While the drinking water in Linda Brauer's Cannon Township neighborhood is clean, according to city officials, the cancer survivor still showed up to the town hall — in remission and with concerns.

"I thought the PFAS epidemic was over," Brauer told FOX 17 on Thursday. "When I heard this on the news today, I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, that's still a problem.'"

At a young age, Brauer's children — one of them adopted — were also diagnosed with cancer.

Regardless of whether they were exposed to PFAS — and whether that possible exposure caused their cancer: "We're trying to make a difference," she said.

So, too, is Rick Rediske, who worked with Concerned Citizens for Responsible Remediation (CCRR) in 2012 to help expose Wolverine Worldwide's pollution in nearby Plainfield and Algoma Townships.

READ MORE: Michigan property owners settle PFAS case for $54 million

"It's people that have very high levels of PFAS and their blood. There's children that have been exposed," Rediske said. "I want to see Wolverine be held responsible for the contamination."

If you'd like to learn more about PFAS and the resources provided by the state, click here .

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