Monday, May 16, 2005 JEREMIAH STETTLER THE SAGINAW NEWS
Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm will pour $1.3 million into construction of a disposal site for dredging spoils on the Saginaw County-Bay County line, officials announced today.
The funding, which flows from a community development block grant, will enable the county to buy the property and proceed with construction -- a move dredging proponents say will keep commercial shipping afloat on the Saginaw River.
"The Saginaw River is part of Michigan's vital transportation infrastructure," Granholm said. "We cannot sit by and allow it to become unusable. Jobs are at stake and more stand to be created."
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to dredge decades of silt build-up from the river bottom. The navigation channel has become so shallow in spots that freighters have had to lighten their loads.
The state grant won't pay for dredging, but rather for a facility that will house the 3.1 million cubic yards of silt pulled out of the river. The county is negotiating to buy 537 acres straddling Zilwaukee and Frankenlust townships.
Until now, officials didn't have the money to close the deal.
"We have been held up on site acquisition because of funds," said Saginaw County Public Works Commissioner James A. Koski. "You can't buy anything with a promise."
Koski said the grant gives him the money to file condemnation papers and purchase the land.
Not all residents are happy about the county's newly stuffed pocketbook. Zilwaukee Township residents oppose the facility, saying it will expose their properties to dioxin contamination, lead to flooding and deface land neighboring the Crow Island State Game Area.
Patricia Bradt, a member of Citizens Against Toxic Substances, said she agrees with the governor's statement that the river needs dredging. What she doesn't agree with is the location of the disposal site, which she believes will create a public health hazard.
"The design of this facility is not going to contain the contaminants," she said. "It will allow them to flow back into the river system. We all agree that the river needs to be dredged, but if you are going to do, then do it right."
Economic developers see only success in the governor's announcement, however.
"Ports are among our best economic development assets," said JoAnn Crary, president of Saginaw Future, Inc., the county's business development arm. "Keeping Saginaw's viable helps to make all of Michigan's ports stronger."
Saginaw boasts the eighth largest port in Michigan with about 4.6 million tons of river commerce annually, the state Department of Transportation reports.
Without dredging, business owners say silt deposits could sink shipping along the Saginaw River.
That could mean the loss of 280 jobs tied directly to the upper Saginaw River and about $388,000 in annual property tax revenue, officials say. Conversely, dredging could create 49 jobs and sustain riverside industry.
"The impact is huge, and that's being conservative," said state Sen. Michael Goschka, a Brant Republican. "When all is said and done and we can open up the river to its full potential, it will truly be a wonderful day." v
Jeremiah Stettler is a staff writer at the Saginaw News. You may reach him at 776-9685.
© 2005 Saginaw News
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