ANDY GRIMM
THE SAGINAW NEWS

A coalition of residents and six local and state environmental groups is suing the state to stop an agreement that would drastically ease dioxin cleanup standards for Dow Chemical Co. in Midland.

Members of the Lone Tree Council today announced that the coalition would file a lawsuit against the state Department of Environmental Quality, claiming the agency was moving to approve an "illegal" consent order that would likely release Dow from having to clean up soil in Midland and surrounding communities that is heavily contaminated with dioxin.

State officials have said the DEQ will work to approve the agreement before the end of the year. Critics have said DEQ officials and Dow are rushing to close the deal before industry-friendly Gov. John Engler leaves office.

The agreement would change the cleanup standard for residential areas to 831 parts per trillion from the current 90 parts per trillion.

"Once this would be signed, we would have no alternative," said John Taylor, a member of Tittabawassee River Watch, a Saginaw Valley environmental group and a claimant in the suit. t