SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has granted a permit to Jordan Development Co. LLC for rights to drill on land leased from Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield.
Word of Faith is a megachurch located near Nine Mile and Evergreen roads. It has a large campus and applied for a permit with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to allow Jordan Development to drill on its land to explore for oil. The DEQ announced its decision to allow the permit on Tuesday.
“This permit application was reviewed thoroughly to ensure all legal requirements were met and proper consideration was given due to the close proximity of surrounding houses,” said Hal Fitch, chief of the DEQ’s Office of Oil, Gas, and Minerals. "We extended our review period and reached out to the community because we wanted to look closely at this permit request. We were able to share information and offer additional time for the public to provide comment, and for the DEQ to evaluate those comments as they pertained to the statutory permitting requirements. Once we reviewed all the public comments, it was determined the application met all statutory and legal requirements, and as such, the DEQ was obligated to issue the permit with conditions."
More than 1,000 people packed the auditorium at Southfield High School last month, divided over whether drilling for oil on a church’s property should be allowed.
“Public comments we received at the meeting reinforced our decision to impose additional permit conditions specifically written into the permit to minimize environmental impacts and reduce the overall disruption to the surrounding community,” said Fitch.
Parishioners showed up en masse to support the project. Neighbors and environmentalists showed up en masse to oppose it.
“I worry about the contamination, the traffic, the property values and the pollution,” said Renee Ratchlord who lives near the church.
Church members say any money made off of drilling would do nothing but benefit the community.
From the DEQ:
This type of well typically takes between 10 and 15 days to drill. Residents can expect to see the greatest amount of activity during that time. This includes elevated noise and truck traffic. The permit conditions specify that:
- Hospital grade mufflers must be used on drill rig engines to minimize noise.
- Lights on the drill rig must be shielded to prevent unnecessary light from being directed toward residences.
- Fencing must be in place during drilling to prevent unauthorized access.
Jordan Development will not be allowed to conduct hydraulic fracturing as a part of this permit. It is uncertain when drilling might begin, but Jordan Development is required to give a 5 day notice to the DEQ prior to preparing the drill site. The DEQ will provide updates to residents within the surrounding area when we receive the notice.