PUBLIC NOTICE
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from the City of Ionia to construct the Deerfield High-Tech Business/Industrial Park in the City of Ionia, County of Ionia, state of Michigan, for the purpose of creating development-ready parcels to support private investment and job creation. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, EDA is conducting an environmental assessment (EA) of the proposed project.
The project will consist of installing public utilities (water mains, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer) along with a new public roadway and street lighting to enable creation of a new, 80-acre high-tech business/industrial park. The project will be located at 1701 Harwood Road, Ionia, Michigan. The purpose of the project is to facilitate private investment and job creation through the creation of a new, 80-acre high-tech business/industrial park. The Project site includes a 4.39 acre wooded wetland, which is undevelopable and will be left undisturbed as part of the project. A permit has been requested from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to relocate a storm drain outlet from the wetland to newly installed storm sewer infrastructure. The mechanisms to be utilized to mitigate the impacts of the EDA Project include avoiding disturbance within the 4.39 acre wooded wetland area, and removing no soils from the site due to potential lead and arsenic contamination from a historical apple orchard (Recognized Environmental Condition). Dewatering is not anticipated, but should it be necessary, the required groundwater discharge permit will be obtained. The Project is not located in a floodplain and therefore, no floodplain mitigation activities are required. Project information is available for review at the Ionia City Hall, 114 N. Kidd Street, Ionia, Michigan 48846.
If you have any information regarding potential environmental impacts associated with this proposed project, please provide it in writing to:
Kyle Darton
Environmental Protection Specialist
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economic Development Administration
Chicago Regional Office
KDarton@eda.gov
A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon request at the above EDA Regional Office.
Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm on February 16, 2026 will be considered.