Former Hayes Lemmerx Site History and Regulatory Status:

The Site is a former hazardous waste storage facility regulated under Part 111, Hazardous Waste Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, and its administrative rules (Act 451). The Site is identified as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ID Number MID 041 803 123. Under Part 111, an owner or operator of such facilities is subject to corrective action to establish environmental protection standards based on zoning and intended land use.

The Site is located on West Eight Mile Road in Ferndale, Oakland County, Michigan, on the north side of West Eight Mile Road between Mitchelldale Avenue and Pinecrest Drive. The Site consists of two parcels totaling approximately 34 acres, as shown on Site Details Map. The Site is located in an area characterized by commercial business, light industrial, and residential use within the limits of the City of Ferndale, at the southern border of Oakland County. The Site is zoned light industrial (M-1) according to the City of Ferndale online Zoning Map Application. The adjacent parcels to the west, north and east are zoned light industrial, and predominately residential, with some commercial properties lining the major corridor to the south.

The Site was formerly developed and used from the 1930s until 2012, when it was razed from 2012 to 2013. The current use is as partially graded, vacant land.

The Site occupies the northwest corner of the intersection of West Eight Mile Road and Pinecrest Drive. The Site was developed as a multi-building research and development facility for chemical additives for gasoline products from the 1930s until the 1980s. Manufacturing operations took over the facility from the 1980s until 2012. Site buildings were demolished in 2012 and 2013.

Various Site historical building plans identified up to 38 buildings or building wings over time. Underground tunnels reportedly linked several of the southern buildings, and several of the buildings reportedly were bunkered with earthen mounds as protection in the event of explosions. However, the possibility remains that there are additional unmapped tunnels.

Additional investigation will be required to determine whether additional tunnels may exist onsite.

As additional information is identified, the CSM and cross sections will be updated. Buildings were reportedly heated principally by central natural gas steam systems that also reportedly extended along the underground tunnels.

The Site was developed in stages from the 1930s until 2012 when demolition of the entire Site began.

A summary of the former ownership at the Site is as follows:

• Ethyl Corporation (Ethyl) from 1936 to 1987;
• CMI purchased the site though a holding company (TC Realty) in 1987;
• TC Realty changed name to HLI Realty (operating as Hayes Lemmerz International) in 1999;
• HLI Realty transferred to Cedan Holdings VI, LLC 2012;
• Cedan Holdings VI transferred to Pinecrest Holdings, LLC purchased May 4, 2016;
• Pinecrest Holdings, LLC entered into a Land Contract with Axle Holdings 1, LLC (for a 6 acre portion of the Site) and a Land Contract with Axle Holdings 2, LLC (for a 28 acre portion of the Site).

Additional information can be found on Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) website at the following link:

Former Hayes Lemmerz International Inc. (Ferndale, Oakland County) (michigan.gov)