Democratic State Representatives Rachel Hood of Grand Rapids and Joey Andrews of St. Joseph met with the press and stakeholders to promote two bills currently being drafted that would add extra protections to Michigan’s sand dunes, which make up about 25% of the state’s coastal acreage.
“It’s important because nature is business in Michigan.”
Hood says one of the many reasons these bills are needed is because tourism is the third largest industry in the state, and dunes play a key role in sustaining that industry.
“Accounting for nearly $50 billion in economic activity, 320,000 jobs, $14.2 billion in wages and 1 in 18 jobs in Michigan is driven by the tourism industry.”
Hood’s bill would make it more difficult to develop on fragile, critical dunes, while Andrew’s bill would limit sand mining.
“We’ve coexisted with nature on our shorelines for decades and we’ll be able to do so once again once these bills are moved.”
With both bills still being drafted and Hood’s tenure as State Rep coming to a close at the end of the year, she said she’s hopeful to have the bills finalized sometime in September for consideration during the Legislature’s lame duck session.
