U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, led a bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers in seeking a streamlined permitting process so their Michigan constituents may implement safety measures to protect their properties.
“Our communities are facing an imminent threat and we must all work together to provide expedited solutions,” wrote Rep. Huizenga and his colleagues in a Nov. 1 letter sent to Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, chief of engineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), referring to the high water levels and erosion faced by property-owning residents on the shorelines of the Great Lakes.
Among the members who joined the congressmen in signing the letter were U.S. Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Paul Mitchell (R-MI), and Andy Levin (D-MI).
The congressmen noted that permits are required from both the state and the USACE prior to the placement of any shore protection mechanisms, although the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently announced that they plan to hasten permits for shoreline protections to homes or structures that are located in danger zones.
“This is an important step to ensuring that property owners can navigate the permitting process more effectively and efficiently during this time,” according to their letter.
Because many of their constituents are in critical need of installing shoreline protection projects, Rep. Huizenga and the Michigan members wrote that they “strongly request the USACE to proceed with all possible urgency as the Corps evaluates and reviews shore protection permits.”