Ted Bornhorst, executive director of the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum and professor of geology at Michigan Tech, is among the initial appointments made by Governor Rick Snyder to the state’s Environmental Permit Review Commission. Bornhorst was appointed to a three-year term.
The commission, established by Public Act 268 of 2018, is comprised of 15 members which can be called upon by the director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to review and advise on permit applications.
Bornhorst has previously served the state of Michigan on environmental-related topics. From 1983 to 1998, he was involved at the state level as an advisor on the topic of radioactive waste disposal, first on the Governor’s task force on high-level radioactive waste followed by an appointment by Governor James Blanchard to the Radioactive Waste Control Committee legislated by Michigan Public Act 190 of 1985.
Bornhorst chaired the Siting Criteria Advisory Committee for Michigan’s Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority from 1988 to 1989 which created screening criteria to select a site while protecting the environment and public health.
His involvement on the topic of radioactive waste continued until Michigan withdrew from the Midwest Interstate Radioactive Waste Compact. Bornhorst served the State of Michigan from 2004 to 2008 in an advisory capacity in the areas of metallic mineral leasing, regulation of metallic mineral exploration and mining, administrative rules for Michigan’s non-ferrous metallic mining regulations and the mineral wells advisory committee.
The work group’s efforts on the regulation of metallic mineral exploration and mining resulted in State of Michigan law Part 632, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994 as amended, also known as Michigan’s nonferrous metallic mining regulations Part 632.
Most recently, in 2016, he published a peer-reviewed article in the international journal Economic Geology on predicting water quality impact from mining wastes.
Upon being asked by Governor Snyder to serve on this commission Bornhorst simply remarked “I’m honored to serve the people of the state of Michigan.”
Dennis Bittner of Gladstone is the only other member of the commission from the Upper Peninsula.
By the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum.