The City of Windsor is opposed to a plan by Marathon Petroleum in Detroit to store petroleum coke on the riverfront in Detroit.
The product is used by factories to fuel utility boilers and other items including cement kilns.
The City of Detroit adopted several provisions on the storage of the product after residents complained about black clouds of pet coke dust blowing in their neighbourhoods.
Ward 7 councillor Irek Kusmierczyk says the city is against Marathon's plan and feels petroleum coke needs to be stored in a building with a roof.
"What's at stake here are the rules that are currently constituted require that organizations like Marathon store pet coke under a roof, under a sheltered building and they're trying to ask whether it's ok to keep that roof off ," says Kusmierczyk. "So again city council is asking we write a letter of objection to the variance application by Marathon.."
Marathon officials have released a list of ways they can prevent dust which includes storing the product in areas protected by 30-foot walls, using a sprinkler system to keep the pet coke damp and regularly sweeping roads nearby.
A video from Windsor, Ontario in 2013 showed clouds of dust over the riverfront.
Kusmierczyk believes the city will send a strong message.
"I think it's important for residents to know that we're making sure we're looking after their health and well being," he says. "Those are the rules that are currently on the books and we just want to make sure that Michigan, and the authorities in the U.S., consider all of our concerns and the concerns of our residents here in Windsor when they make that decision."
A video from Windsor, Ontario in 2013 showed clouds black pet coke dust blowing over the riverfront.
Kusmierczyk says the public was not happy when that happened.
"We just want to make sure once and for all that our concerns and objections of City of Windsor are communicated to the authorities in the U.S. and to Marathon," he says. "We want to make sure that the pet coke, if it is to be stored, is going to be stored under a roof securely and that there will be no question about any winds will be carrying those materials over to our side."
The public has until March 18 to submit comments on Marathon's requested variance. CLICK HERE to find a link to submit a comment.