11 p.m.
After nearly a year of back and forth, the Department of Natural Resources Friday rejected the proposed Camp Grayling expansion.
The news comes after countless hours of public comment and over 60 local governments passed resolutions opposing the expansion.
The DNR rejected the Michigan National Guard’s original ask of 162,000 acres over a 20-year lease. Instead, they’ve countered, requiring the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs to apply for a limited land use permit on up to 52,000 acres of land.
The Public Information Officer for the DNR, Ed Golder, says the limited land use permits will give the National Guard a short-term place to conduct electronic warfare. The Guard will have to follow restrictions put in place by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) put out by the DNR.
The National Guard will not be able to store vehicles on the land as well as no gunfire, no tanks and they can’t conduct any activities within 3,000 feet of designated streams or inland lakes.
“And most importantly for people who have been concerned about the proposal. Access to that land will continue to anyone who wants to recreate on it. That access continues unabated whether or not the guard is present,” Golder explains.
The Michigan National Guard’s Public Affairs Officer, Capt. Andrew Layton, says they respect the DNR’s decision. Although they say the framework doesn’t meet their full vision, they will be able to make do.
“We still think that there’s a way forward to provide some of that low impact training which is important to offer to our service members to make sure they can stay safe in a future battlefield,” Capt. Layton admits.
Some of the people opposing the expansion are actually upset with the DNR’s decision. They say the National guard should be able to conduct the training on the land they currently have and that they shouldn’t receive one extra acre.
“A lot of the acreage that they’re talking about is in my township. These lands are really sentimental to a lot of people here in Bear Lake Township. that’s why it’s not one more acre. That’s been our stance and that is our stance,” states Bear Lake Township Trustee, Jim Knight.
Nick Green with Michigan United Conservation Clubs, says although they also wanted the proposal completely rejected they feel it’s a step in the right direction.
“Those folks opposition is still very well founded, but MUCC is optimistic that this new permit MOU will allow anglers and hunters the ability to still use all of the public land, still be able to do all of the things they love and will allow us to be a partner with the National Guard,” Green says.
The opposition to the expansion is still wary of the DNR’s decision but says they have been offered by the state to come out and see a demonstration of how the National Guard will be using the land to train. They say they will gladly accept the invite.
2:45 p.m.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has declined a proposed 20-year lease of approximately 162,000 acres of state forest land to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The DMVA had sought to lease the land, located around the National Guard training camp in Grayling, to accommodate low-impact military training activities.
“We appreciate the many comments we received on this proposal and the commitment people have to public lands,” said Acting DNR Director Shannon Lott. “Public concerns and feedback from Tribal governments, coupled with our own review of the proposal, led us to decide against a 20-year lease on such a significant portion of state-managed land.”
The decision was made after months of public input and after consultation with interested Michigan Tribal governments.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the DNR and the DMVA, the DMVA will be able to apply for limited land use permits to conduct exercises on up to 52,000 acres of eligible land. The permits would allow the Michigan National Guard to conduct low-impact training on specified areas of land, which would remain open to the public and Tribal members at all times. The MOU also provides that the permits will not allow military training to take place in any protected or sensitive habitat areas or within a certain distance of inland lakes and designated trout streams.
The DMVA may apply for permits using the same system and be evaluated under the same regulations that apply to all other public events and activities on state-managed public lands, including individual events, research projects and large gatherings. The DMVA will pay fees and costs associated with applying for a permit, the same as other members of the public.
People who want to legally use the land for hunting, fishing, camping or other recreational pursuits would continue to be allowed, without restriction, on land in use by the Michigan National Guard under a land use permit.