By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Niles Daily Star
NILES TOWNSHIP - The meeting tonight at Howard Elementary School at 7 p.m., is a public hearing on the proposed plan to develop the Moose Lake Aggregate into a single lake.
The township zoning board will not be meeting, as was incorrectly stated, nor will any decision be made this evening.
The permit for the proposed project has been applied for, but not yet received.
The Land and Water management Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is holding the public hearing in order to secure views of any interested parties.
The application for the permit is by Moose Lake Aggregates, 2596 Detroit Road, Niles, "to expand the existing gravel quarry, Moose Lake, as a result of sand mining activities. The lake will be utilized by wildlife and support recreational activities for a possible future residential development.
In the permit application, Kenneth Smith, Inc. and Moose Lake Aggregates are estimating "7,000,000 cubic yards of sand and gravel will be removed below the existing water surface and approximately 2,200,000 cubic yards of material will be removed from the remaining dry zone area of the proposed lake."
The expansion is expected to take eight years and the "9,200,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated from a 2,800 foot long and 1,600 foot wide area."
Those unable to attend the meeting tonight can view the application at the DEQ website, www.deq.atate.mi.us/CIWPIS, or call (269) 567-3560.
The public hearing record will remain open for 10 days after the hearing. Written comments should be submitted for the record within that time to : Land and Water Management Division, DEQ, 7953 Adobe Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49009-5026, where the application is also available for review.