EPA, Gelman Reach Ann Arbor Plume Cleanup Deal

The EPA has reached an agreement with Gelman Sciences to advance cleanup of its 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume, which affects parts of Ann Arbor and Scio Township and was added to the federal Superfund list in 2026. The company must investigate the contamination and assess cleanup options, remove polluted soil from a former burn-pit area, increase groundwater extraction and treatment along the plume’s eastern edge, and install additional monitoring wells. The agreement also provides grant funding for community groups to hire an independent technical adviser to review reports and explain the EPA’s proposed actions. Michigan environmental officials welcomed the agreement as a step forward, while a watershed group representative urged aggressive action and cautioned that complete cleanup may not be possible.