Lawmakers Seeking Emergency Declaration For Great Lakes Shoreline

coastalerosion

A group of Michigan lawmakers is asking Governor Gretchen Whitmer to issue a state of emergency declaration due to severe erosion along the shores of the Great Lakes. The lawmakers include state Representatives Pauling Wendzel, Brad Paquette, Mary Whiteford, and Beth Griffin, as well as Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield. They sent a letter to the governor this week seeking that emergency declaration. Representative Griffin spoke with WSJM News about the matter.

“I was proud to sign on to the letter asking the governor for some emergency funding for shoreline erosion,” Griffin said. “As we know, the storms have just devastated many properties and the shoreline up and down the coast here on our side of the state.”

The delegation says by issuing a state of emergency, the governor would be able to designate more resources to respond to the erosion along the Great Lakes shoreline. A state of emergency declaration would also allow the state to petition the federal government to do the same, activating additional resources to assist impacted communities and property owners. Griffin said the lawmakers who signed the letter were to have a conference call with the governor Friday afternoon.