Legislation was introduced in the Michigan House and Senate in May that could allocate millions of dollars for dam repairs to restore the four lakes. Even though the Michigan legislature and the administration have agreed to a budget for the next fiscal year, any financial allocation for the dams would more than likely come in the approval of a supplemental appropriation, with discussion on these types of investments beginning in October. Financing for the bills is possible because of excess available funds.
Where funding and grants are directed depends on the funding source.
In its Restoration Plan, FLTF identifies four critical issues that are vital to successfully restore the lakes. The issues and our current progress are listed below.
Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF) is grateful for the recently introduced legislation that provides significant funding toward dam restoration.
We have advocated for similar bipartisan support since May 2020. We ask our elected officials to work collaboratively to ensure the proposed funding is passed by the legislators and signed into law by the governor. These bills would alleviate the significant financial burden currently being placed on the community and restore the ecosystem, recreation, and livelihoods of thousands of people, many of whom are retirees on fixed incomes and have limited resources, that were impacted by dam failures they did not cause. Letter to EPA and FERC Seeks Help to Rebuild
In a bipartisan show of support, U.S. senators and members of Congress from Michigan asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to assist the State of Michigan and our communities in recovering from the dam failures of May 2020. Significant Funding Expected for Four Lakes Communities
Legislation will be introduced today in the Michigan House and Senate that would allocate $500 million in funding to make dam repairs and improvements an even bigger priority in the state. The measure includes significant funding for restoration of the Four Lakes and dams. After further evaluation, FLTF determined that the proposed Four Lakes operations assessment, which was set to begin on the winter 2021 tax bill, is better suited to begin in 2022. Before implementing an assessment we want to ensure we have a quality implementation plan, therefore we need:
|
UPDATES SENT TO YOUR INBOXFill out this form to subscribe to receive news and updates.
Please select why you're interested in receiving updates. Thank you!You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|