SAUGATUCK, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Aug. 21, 2024) – Michiganders love their coastal dunes. These spaces support rare wildlife, power our recreational economy and bring us joy. All the more shocking then is that past elected officials have approved exploitative mining laws and rolled back development protections implemented over the years. This puts the world’s largest assemblage of freshwater dunes at risk.
State Reps. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) and Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) will soon introduce legislation that will restore sensible protections and held an event today, Wednesday, Aug. 21, at Saugatuck’s Oval Beach to share information and take questions. Local leaders and the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance joined the representatives at the event.
Hood’s bill will make it more difficult to develop on especially unique and fragile “critical dunes,” which make up about 25% of Michigan’s total coastal dunes acreage. Amendments to Michigan law in 2012 made it easier for landowners to build between the shores of the Great Lakes and the crests of dunes and harder for the public to make their voice heard in the development approval process.
Andrews will introduce legislation that limits sand mining. Michigan currently requires a permit to mine sand dunes within two miles of shore, and allows mines that started operation prior to 1978 to continue to extract sand in critical dunes. Andrews’ bill strengthens this permitting process so more fragile dunes will be protected from excavation.
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