KALAMAZOO, Mich. — After more than six years a massive amount of sediment spilled into the Kalamazoo River, Eagle Creek Renewable Energy has agreed to pay the State of Michigan $25 million.
Eagle Creek Renewable Energy owns and operates the Morrow Dam in Kalamazoo County through its subsidiary, STS Hydropower LLC. In 2022, Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office sued STS Hydropower and Eagle Creek on behalf of the Michigan Departments of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
In the lawsuit, the state alleges that a grossly mismanaged 2019 drawdown during a spillway gates repair at the Morrow Dam resulted in a 30-mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River being smothered in sediment.
- Previous Coverage: State of Michigan sues Morrow Dam owners for sediment buildup in Kalamazoo River
The sediment spillage was enough to fill 113 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to a Michigan State University (MSU) analysis…