Detroit police and state environmental regulators are separately probing two companies believed to have together filled hundreds of Detroit demolition sites with toxic dirt, threatening to cost the city millions in cleanup, Mayor Mike Duggan announced at a Dec. 22 news conference with just over a week left in office.
An “intensive” and ongoing criminal investigation into potential fraud by Detroit-based Gayanga Co. has identified 49 demolition sites where the contractor may have used toxic dirt, in addition to 58 the city says it already found contaminated, Detroit Police Deputy Chief Kari Sloan said. Duggan said he requested the police investigation in September after the Detroit Office of the Inspector General found the contractor may have intentionally used backfill from unapproved sources.
Separately, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy says it is coordinating with Detroit officials to evaluate the activities of Oakland County-based Iron Horse of Michigan Inc. after Duggan said the city found it sourced potentially toxic dirt to Gayanga and three other contractors responsible for 424 demolitions…