Update on Cleanup Work at Former Tannery
Over the past several months, Wolverine has been conducting cleanup work at the site of its former tannery in Rockford. This work is described in more detail in posts here and here, and includes excavation of several areas of sediments, soils, leather scraps, and hides from the former tannery, the adjacent White Pine Trail, and the banks of the Rogue River. The excavation areas are shown on this map, and that work is expected to continue through early 2020.
To help track the work, here is a chart showing the material we anticipate excavating from each area, and the current status of our activities:
| Area | Material | Status (12/6/19) |
| S1 | Soil | Excavation in progress |
| S2 | Soil | Excavation complete |
| S3 | Soil | Excavation complete |
| S4 | Soil | Excavation complete |
| S5 | Sediment | Excavation anticipated to begin next week |
| S6 | Sediment | Excavation complete |
| S7 | Soil | Excavation complete |
| N1 | Soil, Leather Scraps | Excavation in progress |
| N2 | Soil, Leather Scraps, Hides | Excavation in progress |
Wolverine to Install Impermeable Caps at House Street Property
On Monday, December 9, Wolverine plans to start the next phase of environmental response at its House Street property. This was a state-licensed disposal site where waste materials from Wolverine’s leather tanning operations were placed during the 1960s. Wolverine has conducted extensive environmental testing at the property since 2017, and summarized results of that testing are available here and here.
The work planned for next week includes the installation of engineered caps over five areas of the House Street property. A cap is an impermeable barrier designed to isolate the waste materials and prevent them from migrating into the underlying groundwater.
All of this work is being performed pursuant to an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent (“AOC”) that Wolverine and the EPA entered into on October 28, 2019. The AOC is available here, and it outlines the agreed-upon work that Wolverine has been performing at its former tannery and House Street property.
We will continue keeping the community informed through regular updates on this blog, www.WeAreWolverine.com, and through information posted at kiosks and in other locations accessible to the public. As always, residents with questions are encouraged to contact Wolverine directly at HouseStreet@wwwinc.com or (616) 866-5627.