Update on Cleanup Work at Former Tannery Property
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.
As of this week, we have excavated 10,600 tons of material from the site, sending 419 truckloads to an approved off-site landfill. The excavation work is currently anticipated to be completed in early March, and complete details are on this progress schedule.
The excavation areas are shown on this map, and the chart below shows the material we anticipate excavating from each area and the current status of our activities. Also, some recent photos of the work are included at the end of this post.
Area | Material | Status (12/19/19) |
S1 | Soil | Excavation and backfill in progress |
S2 | Soil | Excavation and backfill complete |
S3 | Soil | Excavation and backfill complete |
S4 | Soil | Excavation and backfill complete |
S5 | Sediment | Excavation anticipated to begin in January 2020 |
S6 | Sediment | Excavation and backfill complete |
S7 | Soil | Excavation complete; backfill anticipated to begin in January 2020 |
N1 | Soil, Leather Scraps | Excavation and backfill in progress |
N2 | Soil, Leather Scraps, Hides | Excavation in progress |
Update on Installation of Impermeable Caps at House Street Property
Last week, we began the installation of five impermeable caps at Wolverine’s House Street property, as described in further detail here and shown in the pictures at end of this post. These caps are barriers designed to isolate five areas of waste materials on the property and prevent them from migrating into the underlying groundwater. The work plan for these caps has been approved by the EPA, and we expect installation to be complete by January 10, 2020.
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.



