Edenville dam clarification

Edenville restoration was suspended in june 2024 because of lack of financing

While we normally do not respond to nonsensical chatter on social media, some of the claims and statements being made are so misleading we found it necessary to do so.
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FLTF shared in the August 2024 Edenville Restoration Overview report, that Edenville Dam restoration involves five phases - three of which are complete. Phase four was suspended and phase five - final restoration - was delayed in June 2024 due to litigation challenging the special assessments. Below is a reminder of the status of Edenville Dam.

Ownership of Dams and Bottomlands

Under the Inland Lake Level Act (i.e. Part 307 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act), counties have eminent domain authority to acquire land for lake level projects. In December 2020, Gladwin and Midland counties acquired all four dams and bottomlands using eminent domain authority to acquire the properties from the bankruptcy trustee administering the Boyce Hydro bankruptcy. The transfer of ownership was acknowledged by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The four lakes are artificial impoundments. The dams and bottomlands are necessary to maintain the mandated lake levels established by the Midland Circuit Court in May 2019. 

Permitting and Easements

Secord, Smallwood and Sanford are permitted, and construction can resume as soon as there is a path to financing. There is no relationship between construction startup on these dams and the Edenville Permit.
Once the suspension was implemented, momentum did slow in acquiring the necessary permits for Edenville. The Edenville Dam will be permitted and built based on the designs submitted to EGLE, which were reviewed at numerous hearings and meetings. To state what should be obvious, the location of the Edenville Dam will not be changing. The dam, lake and downstream stream restoration cannot begin until FLTF secures financing. If FLTF received the permits today, we could not begin work because we do not have the funding necessary that would come from the Capital Assessment.

Easements

​FLTF does need to acquire easements for the final phase of constructing Edenville Dam and for stream restoration downstream of the dam. Obtaining easements and access by working constructively with property owners has been a regular activity throughout the recovery and restoration of all four dams and lakes. 
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The claims by Heron Cove Association members related to Edenville and its permitting on Facebook - none of which was brought up in their lawsuit - are simply to divert attention from the fact that their appeals and lawsuits are delaying the planned restoration of the four dams and lakes.