“We want to balance what the community wants with what we can do scientifically,” says Lara Zawaideh, HDR project manager and Michigan business development leader. Project challenges will include the island's location near the Grand River and changes in water levels and flow dynamics. The early-stage concepts “are now with the public to review and consider as we continue our work on next steps to address remediation,” she adds.

For over 100 years, the island was a site for industrial activity and waste disposal, serving as a city dump and housing the coal-fired J.B. Simms power plant from the 1960s until it closed in 2020. Both per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and coal ash have been detected in its groundwater.

HDR has been examining the levels and extent of coal ash and PFAS contamination through groundwater testing and data analysis. It is moving the site through state and federal regulatory review processes and is now offering solutions for cleanup. “A primary strategy will be to contain the contaminated plume to reduce groundwater discharge to surface waters,” says Zawaideh. Work on this part of the project began in 2022 with HDR and subcontractors WSP and Western Michigan University.

“Funding is another constraint,” says Zawaideh, but HDR is working with the local government to find innovative solutions. The cost to date is $1.8 million. Major remediation is planned to begin in summer 2026, with redevelopment slated for 2028-2033.