The Submerged Lands Program staff administers the Part 326, Great Lakes Submerged Logs Recovery, of the NREPA (Part 326). This part became effective on July 10, 2000 and regulates the recovery of submerged logs from the Great Lakes bottomlands through a permit application review process. The purpose of this regulation is to provide for the legal and controlled recovery of abandoned old growth logs that were not captured and processed during Michigan's logging era.

A permit from the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers is also required to remove logs from the Great Lakes.   

If recovery operations can be conducted without any bottomland dredging, filling, or structure placement on bottomland, only permit authorization under Part 326 is required. However, if dredging, filling, or structure placement activities become part of the recovery operations then additional permit authorization will be required under Part 325, Great Lakes Submerged Lands, of the NREPA. 

This source of timber is viewed as a viable economic lumber resource available for recovery. This abandoned timber is considered to be property of the State of Michigan. The recovery of such timber from the Great Lakes bottomlands involves various issues that Part 326 is designed to address. The primary issues are the recovery of state owned property by private entities for economic reasons with proper compensation and the protection of the Great Lakes' natural resources, riparian rights, public trust in the Great Lakes, and public health, safety, and welfare.