LANSING, MI (AP)-- A published report says a fund to clean up thousands of sites around Michigan that are contaminated from prior industrial use is running out of money.
The Detroit News reports Wednesday that the pool of cleanup money once totaled more than $1.3 billion, but is now down to $11 million. The newspaper says there are no plans in the works to replenish the fund, known as Michigan's Part 201 program.
Dan Wyant, director of the state Department of Environmental Quality, said in a statement: "It's one of the biggest challenges this agency will face in the next five years." He said the work of the program is "critically important" but also "very expensive."
Revenue for the fund was generated by bond issues in 1988 and 1998.
