Senate Bill 1020 is intended to help lakefront homeowners more effectively deal with shoreline erosion. | stock photo
Senate Bill 1020 is intended to help lakefront homeowners more effectively deal with shoreline erosion. | stock photo
A bill introduced in the Michigan Senate that would help private property owners to combat shoreline erosion is stuck in committee.
The bill was introduced on July 23, and that same day, it was referred to the Committee on Environmental Quality, but as of early September, it has not moved past that stage.
Senate Bill 1020, introduced by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township), would specify that a permit is not needed for certain work above the ordinary high-water mark. It would update existing laws and allow projects like dredging, placing sand or soil, and constructing seawalls and shoreline stabilization structures without obtaining a permit by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
Sen. Ed McBroom
| #MiSenateGOP
“Shoreline issues and concerns have risen along with high water levels in recent months,” said McBroom, according to MiSenateGOP. “Many private property owners in our coastal communities throughout the Upper Peninsula have inquired about what they can do to protect their property and prevent erosion.”
Conversations that McBroom and his staff members have had with constituents who have struggled and had issues with EGLE exceeding statutory authority were the inspiration for the bill.
“While we appreciate efforts by departments to speed up certain permit reviews, state agencies also need to recognize the times when permits are not required under the law. The last thing property owners need is an overly assertive state government slowing down their work with unnecessary permits that are not needed to solve a very real problem. My bill will ensure bureaucrats stay out of what isn’t their business," McBroom told MiSenateGOP.
The Great Lakes Shorelands Management Program helps to protect consumers from natural hazards that occur when coasts erode and flooding occurs.
McBroom has served the people of Michigan in multiple offices. He was elected to three terms in the House of Representatives and is in his first term as a Senator representing the 38th District in the Upper Peninsula.
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