USA: House OKs Legislation to Help Maintain Michigan Waterways

March 15, 2013

The Michigan House yesterday approved legislation to make it less expensive for local communities to dredge Great Lakes and inland waterways, state Rep. Dan Lauwers announced.

“Lake Huron and the St. Clair River are engines for commerce and a tremendous natural resource for recreational boaters, and we need to make it easier to properly maintain them,” said Lauwers, R-Brockway Township. “Dredging has become especially important with lower water levels, and our legislation will help ease the financial strain put on communities.”

House Bills 4398 and 4400 reduce the current dredging permit fee, which currently ranges from $1,500 to $2,000, to $50 for those projects that propose to remove 10,000 cubic feet or more, and whose dredge material has been determined to be composed of at least 90 percent sand.

House Bill 4399 exempts the requirement of a 20-day notification and the required public hearing when considering dredging permits where emergency situations exist that warrant dredging to protect property, the public health, safety and welfare of Michigan citizens.

The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.

[mappress]

Press Release, March 15, 2013