Upton Meets With Army Corps, FEMA To Talk Coastal Erosion

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shoreerosiongm-2

Congressman Fred Upton has met with representatives of FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to discuss shoreline erosion and high water levels in the Great Lakes. He tells WSJM News he and two other Michigan reps asked for tactical assistance in finding ways to mitigate the threat to shoreline property owners and communities during a meeting last Friday.

“I thought we had a good meeting,” Upton said. “We talked about their ability to try to streamline the process for permitting for when folks are trying to protect their homes and the lakeshore, and interaction with our municipalities. Obviously, one of the things on my list is to make sure that our water supplies are safe because of the high water levels.”

That’s to make sure water systems don’t fail because of the high levels. Upton says after the meeting, he believes all parties are committed to working on a coordinated response to ensure the shoreline can withstand, and later recover from, the erosion it’s been experiencing. Water levels across the Great Lakes have broken records this past year. In July, Lake Michigan was just one inch below its record high from 1986, and was 15 inches above its level from a year ago.