DEQ Gives Go-Ahead for Oil Drilling at Megachurch

SOUTHFIELD,MI – Oil exploration and drilling can proceed on the property of a Southfield megachurch under a permit granted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

The Word of Faith International Christian Center, located at Nine Mile and Evergreen roads, says allowing Jordan Development Co. LLC rights to drill for oil on the property will increase money available to support its outreach ministries, especially if oil is discovered and royalties come in.

Southfield area residents tried vigorously to stop the permit in protests outside the church and at a public hearing last month attended by more than 1,000 people.

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• ‘Thou Shalt Not Drill’: Congregants Oppose Oil Exploration

Announcing approval of the permit on Tuesday, Hal Fitch, chief of the DEQ’s Office of Oil, Gas and Minerals, said officials went through an exhaustive review given the close proximity of houses to potential drill sites.

“Once we reviewed all the public comments, it was determined the application met all statutory and legal requirements, and as such, the DEQ was obligated to issue the permit with conditions."

Fitch said the DEQ did take residents’ concerns into consideration and “reinforced our decision to impose additional permit conditions specifically written into the permit to minimize environmental impacts and reduce the overall disruption to the surrounding community.”

Those special conditions require the use of hospital-grade mufflers on oil rig engines to minimize noise, shielded lights on the drill rig to minimize light pollution and fencing to prevent unauthorized access to the drill site.

The DEQ said the well Jordan Development plans can site can take between 10 and 15 days to drill. Hydraulic fracking will not be allowed under the permit.