9/17/13 - State officials say Fenton Township wetlands were destroyed and sediment dumped into waterways by an upscale housing development. The office of state Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a lawsuit last month in Genesee Circuit Court on behalf of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality against October Capital Group, owners of the Liberty Shores housing development near Linden. Steve Munkres, head of October Capital Group, says he's aware of the DEQ's concerns but said the collapse of the housing industry forced his company out of business and made it unable to pay for necessary improvements. Munkres says the company "did everything we could." Fenton Township approved the 182-home subdivision in 2005, but Munkres said it went into foreclosure and was sold. The DEQ also said that the development led to sediment being discharged into state waterways, including the Shiawassee River, Tupper Lake and Lake Ponemah. Munkres said steps are being taken to rectify some of the problems involving sediment. (AP Photo/The Flint Journal, Gary Ridley)
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