Opposition to the proposed Camp Grayling expansion continues to grow as a State Representative has now joined the ranks.
Representative Ken Borton from Gaylord introduced a resolution in the house Wednesday urging the Department of Natural Resources to deny the Michigan National Guard’s proposal to expand Camp Grayling 162,000 acres. All of Camp Grayling is within Rep. Borton’s district.
“My constituents have overwhelming opposed this project altogether including local governments,” Rep. Borton states.
Rep. Borton points to nearly 60 units of local government that have passed resolutions opposing the expansion. He says he introduced the resolution because he’s had unanswered questions from both the Director of the DNR Shannon Lott and Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
“I literally haven’t heard anything from them at all,” Rep. Borton admits.
Rep. Borton teamed up with other Northern Michigan Representatives to formally ask Governor Whitmer for ‘a seat at the table’ during the discussions. He says she never responded. He says Lott has also been quiet on the issue. At the end of February during a Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Subcommittee, Lott told Rep. Borton that she was working with the Governor’s office on a release that would be out ‘within the next week.’
“I’ve heard absolutely nothing since then and we’re going on probably a couple months now,” Rep. Borton says.
Rep. Borton’s Resolution was referred to the House Committee on Military, Veterans and Homeland Security. The DNR says they are speaking with Michigan Tribes before making a decision.