A Bi-Weekly Publication Friday June 4, 2004

				Dear Wetlands Advocate, We hope this e-newsletter continues to be a valuable resource for Michigan's wetland advocates. Please forward this on to those you think would be interested. Some of the files linked from this e-newsletter are in Adobe PDF format. For a free copy of software to read these files click here. If you would like to be added to or unsubscribed from this list or if you would prefer to receive a text-based version of the e-newsletter, please email Chris Grubb. WETLAND ADVOCATES PIVOTAL TO IMPROVING CORPS' REGIONAL PERMIT, REMAIN CONCERNED Michigan's wetland advocates are making a difference. This fact is evident in the Army Corps of Engineers' new Regional Permit for Michigan, which is dramatically scaled back from what was originally proposed. The new permit, which applies only to commercial hotel and motel owners in Grand Traverse Bay and Saginaw Bay, originally included the entire Michigan Great Lakes Shoreline as well as many inland lakes and rivers connected to the Great Lakes. Thanks to the efforts of many wetland advocates across the state who submitted comments to the Corps, the new permit covers only a fraction of what was originally proposed. Despite the success in moving the Corps in the right direction, we are generally disappointed that the Corps found it necessary to issue a Regional Permit at all. We are concerned about two specific aspects of the permit. One that allows for the addition of up to six inches of sand across the entire work area, and another that fails to clearly define what type of vegetation removal activities will be permitted. We are asking the Corps to limit the six inch sand layer to a 6 foot wide path for water access and to not permit vegetation clearing activities with the potential for disruption of root systems. Read the letter. The Regional Permit allows applicants with at least 100 feet to discharge fill, do "minor" dredging, and remove vegetation on one-fourth of the frontage, not to exceed 100 feet. Read the Public Notice. (pdf file) MICHIGAN WETLAND CONFERENCE A GREAT SUCCESS – MERCHANDISE STILL AVAILABLE! Thanks to the hard work of staff from the DEQ, DNR, Northwest Michigan College, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, and many other organizations, the recent Michigan Wetland Conference was a tremendous success! With attendance at over 375 for the weekend, participants enjoyed workshops on wetland protection, restoration, regulation, enforcement, education, etc. Conference T-shirts ($12+s/h) and mugs ($6+s/h) are still available. Please visit the MWAC website to order yours today! MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPS OUT OF CONTROL ON WETLANDS To build off a phrase coined by Senator Ken Sikkema, with respect to wetlands (not to mention DEQ's budget), the Michigan House of Representatives is a legislative body "out of control." House Bill 5945 would allow commercial shoreline property owners along Grand Traverse Bay and Saginaw Bay to remove wetland vegetation from the entire width of the property. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Tourism. If and when the bill is heard in committee, Michigan's wetland advocates need to once again show up in force and make the message clear: coastal wetland destruction is a grave mistake. The Senate has already begun to see the light, and the members of the House supporting this bill are wasting their time and the taxpayers' money.			Great New Wetland Book Available Dr. Dennis A. Albert, prominent wetland researcher and Program Leader of the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, has published a wonderful new book, Between Land and Lake: Michigan's Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands. The 96 page full color book discusses the context and diversity of Great Lakes coastal wetlands using many case studies. The book is available for $7.50 by calling Jill Kimble at (231)347-1181 x 100 Fed Money for MI Wetland Enforcement The DEQ is expecting to receive between $350,000 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2005 to hire up to 4 new staff devoted solely to enforcement of the state's wetland protection statute. In a time of tight budgets, this money is critical, and we commend DEQ Director Chester for making enforcement a priority of the department. Read the Free Press article
	Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council 426 Bay Street , Petoskey, Michigan 49770 Phone: (231) 347-1181 x 118 Fax: (231) 347-5928 Email: chrisgrubb@watershedcouncil.org Web: http://www.michiganwetlands.org