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Could areas of Midland be joining Tittabawasse river property on the list of areas known as facilities due to dioxin contamination?

In a letter sent replying to concerns by the City of Midland - the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reiterated its standards for clean up and dioxin levels according to DEQ Spokeswoman Pat Spitzley. But the city of Midland says under the current rules almost half of this city's property, about 8,800 residences, could be labeled a facility. Under a facility designation, homeowners must disclose to possible buyers that their property has dioxin contamination. Midland says they would like the state to up the acceptable levels for dioxin on residential property. The city also wants the state to test the residents to see if dioxin is causing a problem before any cleanup is done. The DEQ believes decades of incineration at Dow Chemical's plant is the key source of dioxin in the Midland soils. Dow might be forced to handle the costs of the clean up.

The state says soil sampling is expected to take place this summer.