December 7, 2005

Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester today issued a Final Decision and Order denying a permit to Dune Harbor to build an underground pipeline through a 4,000 year-old protected critical dune along the Lake Michigan shore near Muskegon.

Michigan’s critical dune areas are protected from development by law. The Legislature has described our critical dune areas as a “unique, fragile, and irreplaceable resource.” Because of their fragile nature, most uses and structures on them are prohibited unless a permit is granted by the DEQ.

The entire order can be viewed online at: http://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-oah-DuneHarbor-301-353-01-61-0039-P-Dec-7-2005.pdf.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised December 7, 2005 by Pat Watson