(CBS DETROIT) – A Macomb County real estate developer has been ordered to pay $300,000 after a lawsuit alleging the illegal destruction of a wetland.
In a consent judgment filed June 3, Ingham County Judge James Jamo found Chesterfield 5 LLC in Shelby Township and consultant Christopher Cousino responsible and ordered them to restore the property by June 2026.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) alleges the company violated the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act by illegally draining surface water from a regulated wetland before applying for a permit.
EGLE identified 18.5 hectares of natural wetlands that were affected.
“The illegal destruction of our protected, regulated wetlands will not be tolerated in Michigan,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to defend the natural resources that define our way of life and to support diverse ecosystems across the state. I am grateful for the rigorous efforts of our partners at EGLE, and the attorneys in my office who brought this responsible and restorative solution.”
Records show the company and Cousino must submit a plan to EGLE by June 15, 2025 to restore 15 hectares of the wetland and monitor redevelopment over a five-year period.
Chesterfield 5 LLC can still apply for a permit to build the property after EGLE completes the wetland identification process. If approved, the company will only need to restore the portion of hectares identified by EGLE in the restoration plan.
