Making waves
by Charles Slat , last modified January 16. 2010 11:17PM
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ShareMichigan touts the Great Lakes as an economic asset, crucial to both transportation and recreation.
But some port and coastal Great Lakes communities in the state figure they’re being left high and dry when it comes to funding to support those roles.
Among them are the cities of Monroe and Luna Pier, which have joined a group hoping to make some waves on behalf of Michigan’s coastal towns.
They are part of the Michigan Port Collaborative, a relatively new organization formed to advocate for Michigan’s port communities and coastal cities.
“Our whole marketing campaign at the state level talks about how fortunate we are to have the Great Lakes, but there’s no policy or funding for it,” said Pam Stanley, economic development director for the Port of Monroe. “There’s no funding you can go after for infrastructure improvements or anything like that at the state level.”
Both she and Greg Stewart, Luna Pier administrator, are among the collaborative’s 19-member interim steering committee, helping to set up the parameters of the new group. Its goal is to get better recognition for Michigan ports and harbors at the state and federal level.
“We’re trying to put together a strong organization for this collaborative to seek funding and policies that would enhance our ports and harbors,” Ms. Stanley said.
The Port of Monroe has been able to get dredging done over the past three years, thanks to Congressional earmark legislation pushed through by U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Dearborn. But this year, no dredging money appears on the horizon. Nor is there money for infrastructure projects to support economic development projects, such as the wind turbine tower manufacturing company that is planning a plant at the Port of Monroe.
Ms. Stanley said the port will have to invest in heavy concrete pads to support cranes, dock and rail improvements to serve the new manufacturer because transport of the towers is most efficient via water.
“We’re faced with trying to provide financing for that infrastructure and that’s very difficult,” she said. A financing plan is being developed, but no formal state program exists for enhancing the water transportation that the state views as so critical to its commerce.
She said one of the goals of the group is for advocacy on behalf of ports and coastal towns that will result in policy that provides money for infrastructure improvements. “Several states have done this and have been able to provide policy at the state level that provides them with dollars for their infrastructure,” she said.
Mr. Stewart said his community is hoping its involvement in the group will have multiple benefits.
“What we’re looking for is, first of all, ideas,” said Mr. Stewart. “I think a number of port cities in Michigan have gotten their acts together. We’re looking for best practices of what’s been done, but we’re also looking at ways to collaborate to either find grant money or influence what’s going on with the Great Lakes.
He said the town also hopes to get info on grant opportunities that other communities have used in the past. “There seems to be a lot of activity in the Great Lakes and I don’t know that Lake Erie, especially its west side, has gotten its share,” he said.
“The federal government and state have been doing grants for docks and piers and that’s exactly one of the areas were looking at,” he said. “How do we find those grants and be able to make this whole thing happen.”
Luna Pier has been interested in making the town an access point for ferry service to the Lake Erie islands. Army Corps funding normally is available only for improvements at commercial ports, not recreational venues such as Luna Pier.
Mr. Stewart said hundreds of people representing more than 50 ports and coastal towns showed up for a summit of the collaborative in October, including many from private industry, tourism and shipping businesses. “A lot of people are interested in what’s going on on the shoreline,” Mr. Stewart said.
“I think this is an excellent opportunity for Monroe County communities on Lake Erie, such as Luna Pier and Monroe,” said Chris Heid, a Luna Pier city councilman. “We can learn from the western and northern Michigan port communities, find out what works, and what doesn’t. They can help us identify funding opportunities and speak as an effective voice in Lansing as well as Washington.”
Mr. Stewart said he and Ms. Stanley, along with John Kerr of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, are the three Southeast Michigan representatives on the group’s steering committee. He said the Detroit officials expressed keen interest in the ideas Luna Pier is exploring.
Water transportation remains among the most efficient methods for moving bulk commodities and other products, Monroe port officials said. “A lake barge can move one ton of cargo 514 miles on a gallon of fuel,” said Thomas Krzyston, chairman of the Monroe Port Commission. “Michigan ports are an intricate part of our state’s multi-modal transportation network.”
