After much controversy, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has granted a permit that would allow Jordan Development to drill on a piece of land in Southfield.
The land, owned by Word of Faith International Christian Center Inc., is located at Evergreen and 9 Mile roads.
The plan to drill has caused controversy among the Southfield community, with many residents speaking out against the plan at multiple public meetings.
"“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,” Hal Fitch, Chief of the MDEQ's Office of Oil, Gas & Minerals said. "The DEQ will monitor the drilling operations and ensure the oil and gas rules and regulations at this site are followed. The DEQ will closely monitor the project to ensure there are no impacts to groundwater."
According to the DEQ, the well typically takes between 10 and 15 days to drill, and residents can expect elevated noise and truck traffic during that time.
The city of Southfield released a statement on Tuesday "strongly" opposing the DEQ's decision to grant the permit. The city also said it has a moratorium in effect through April 26, 2016, that "expressly prohibits oil drilling or mining in the city."
