Holland Harbor will receive more than $20 million for assessments, critical structure safety work and engineering design for dredging and dredged material placement site repairs.
$385,000 is budgeted to the Saugatuck Harbor and Kalamazoo River for projects including assessments and sediment sampling.
South Haven and St. Joe Harbors are also funded for similar projects, as well as work in Grand Haven, Ludington, Muskegon, New Buffalo and Pentwater.
Congressman Bill Huizenga says the harbors and rivers are an enormous source of economic activity for communities in West Michigan.
“We know that just on the Great Lakes alone, this is billions and billions of dollars to Michigan’s economy Add this up with the other surrounding states as well.”
Huizenga says he’s working to restore and fund the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund which is paid for by shippers using ports on the Great Lakes and along our nation’s coasts.
“Proportionately the Great Lakes have been well behind where they should have been, so we’ve been fighting that battle for well over a decade and I think we’re seeing the fruit of it right now.”
West Michigan harbors contribute to the local economy through commercial shipping, tourism and recreational boating as well as scientific research.
