Millions earmarked for Buick City cleanup

From © WJRT

FLINT -- Money is on the way to clean up the old Buick City site.

Flint's Buick City is the first of a number of former General Motors sites to receive a final cleanup plan.

There have been no signs of life at the old Buick City site for years, but that could change by as early at 2011.

That's when clean up work is scheduled to begin at this site.

Congressman Dale Kildee's office says the Environmental Protection Agency has come back with a plan pumping $5-7 million into the southern portion of Buick City for cleanup.

Cleanup crews and trucks will move into the quiet, desolate area to focus on two primary areas: Lead contaminated soil and small area of offsite lead-contaminated soil along the southern boarder of Buick City. The cleanup also includes additional testing for chemicals in the soil.

The government announced Tuesday that it is setting up an $800 million trust fund for cleaning up abandoned GM sites. Of the 47 Michigan projects, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said nine of them are in the Flint area, with the former Buick City site is at the top of the list.

This is welcome news, especially for potential investors who have said they'd be willing to put up millions of dollars for a delivery and shipping hub after property cleanup is finished.