By Matt FranklinSaginaw Township — (03/17/05)--Thursday night, officials held the first in a series of community meetings on cleaning up dioxins in Mid-Michigan rivers.
But before the meeting got underway, a group of residents held a protest, saying they were being left in the dark.
Matt Franklin had more.
Outside the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw Township, the Lone Tree Council and concerned residents protested a meeting between a select group of community members, the Michigan Department of environmental Quality and Dow Chemical.
Dow and the DEQ scheduled the meeting to gauge feedback from residents about framework that was reached in early January. The framework includes steps Dow is taking to clean up dioxins in area rivers.
DEQ officials say that agreement also included keeping the community abreast of the cleanup process. Some say that hasn't happened.
The DEQ says the meetings are open to everyone, including the protestors. They were eventually let inside; however, cameras were not allowed to film the meeting.
Residents say they just want to stay up to date on matters that concern their families.
This was the first of four meetings being held by the DEQ and Dow. Three more are scheduled for next month.
Copyright 2005 ABC Inc., WJRT-TV Inc.
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