The projects I have requested funding for FY25 are as follows:
Project Name: Sault Ste. Marie (Replacement Lock), MI
Project Location: Soo Locks complex, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Project Sponsor: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Requested Amount: $186,200,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would enable the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to complete the work it has already begun on the new Soo lock. Unfortunately, President Biden’s budget request for FY2025 only contains $264,130,000 for the lock’s construction, leaving a significant gap that must be filled to ensure on-time and on-budget completion of this nearly four-decade-long project. Under-funding the full capability of the USACE will force delays in construction that will further increase the total project cost and push back the already delayed timeline for completion, and full funding is necessary to ensure the locks can continue their vital function in our Nation’s supply chain and economy.
Project Name: Alpena Community College’s Natural Resources and STEM Innovation Center
Project Location: 665 Johnson Street, Alpena, MI 49707
Project Sponsor: Alpena Community College
Requested Amount: $4,250,000
Member Certification Form
Description: This project aims to upgrade and revitalize Alpena Community College’s (ACC) Charles R. Donnelly Natural Resources Center (NRC) by equipping the first floor lecture hall with modern videoconferencing technology, establishing a Life Sciences and Information Technology Innovation Center on the second floor, renovating interior and exterior spaces, replacing HVAC and windows, installing a new roof, and enhancing ACC’s Life Sciences and STEM programs to sustain the NRC’s role as a hub for science education and regional prosperity in Northeast Michigan.
Project Name: Village of Beulah Wastewater Treatment Facility and Wastewater System Improvements
Project Location: 7228 Commercial St., P.O. Box 326, Beulah, MI 49617
Project Sponsor: Village of Beulah
Requested Amount: $8,100,000
Member Certification Form
Description: Consistent with the Administrative Consent Order the Village of Beulah is under with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, this project involves influent metering, headworks building construction, mechanical plant upgrades, power system enhancement, lagoon closure procedures, spray irrigation field improvements, and sanitary sewer system enhancements.
Project Name: Reconstruction of the Houghton Canal Road, Stanton Township, Houghton County, Michigan
Project Location: State Roads S-553 and S-653G, Stanton Township, Houghton, MI 49931
Project Sponsor: Stanton Township
Requested Amount: $5,100,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would be used to reconstruct a 5.3-mile section of road, spanning north from the junction of Houghton Canal Road (HCR) and Liminga Road, as well as a 2.4-mile stretch of North Superior Road extending westward from its connection with HCR. These roads provide access to the North Entry of the Keweenaw Waterway and the North Canal Boat Launch – serving recreational boaters, commercial fishers, and various agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Project Name: Bates Township Hall Preservation
Project Location: 3070 E. Hwy U.S. 2, Iron River, MI 49935
Project Sponsor: Bates Hall Preservation Society
Requested Amount: $250,000
Member Certification Form
Description: This project aims to restore and improve the Bates Township Hall building, with plans including renovating the entryway, upgrading the kitchen, constructing a connecting hallway, ensuring Americans with Disabilities Act compliance for access to both parking and the hall, and relocating the hall to a new foundation. Thanks to its centralized location within the township, the hall serves as the primary space for community votes and meetings, and hosts various social events for local organizations.
Project Name: Fife Lake Public Library Expansion Project
Project Location: 77 Lakecrest Lane, Fife Lake, MI 49633
Project Sponsor: Friends of the Fife Lake Public Library
Requested Amount: $250,000
Member Certification Form
Description: This project aims to build a two-story, 7,100-square-foot expansion to the Fife Lake Public Library to provide additional space for growing children's, teens', and adults' collections, dedicated areas for programming, a large meeting space, small study spaces, a Maker Space, a Library of Things, genealogical records storage, and staff work and storage areas. The current space limitations hinder the library’s ability to serve both the community and staff adequately. Additionally, the library plans to build a new parking lot to replace lost spaces and accommodate additional parking needs.
Project Name: Securing the Future of Great Lakes Education – Suttons Bay, MI
Project Location: 100 Dame St #218, Suttons Bay, MI 49682
Project Sponsor: Inland Seas Education Association
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Member Certification Form
Description: This project aims to expand the Inland Seas Education Association’s (ISEA) educational facilities to meet the growing demand for its programming that empowers youth and adults to work toward solutions that address the problems facing the Great Lakes. ISEA’s 16,000-square-foot waterfront facility features a multi-use space to support group learning, a state-of-the-art laboratory space, and housing for interns and volunteers. ISEA partners around the Great Lakes Basin will use the project’s facilities and resources to impact their local learners and develop future stewards of their communities’ watersheds.
Project Name: Hubbard Lake Community Center/Library
Project Location: 1561 Hubert Road, Hubbard Lake, MI 49747
Project Sponsor: Friends of the Hubbard Lake Center
Requested Amount: $300,000
Member Certification Form
Description: This project seeks to build a new 6,500-square-foot Community Center and Library for the Hubbard Lake community – with 1,500-square-feet allocated for the local branch of the Alcona County Library to replace the current, smaller facility. This project will provide a larger space for library services, including designated children’s areas and computer access, with the remaining space serving as a community hub for local groups and social gatherings.
Project Name: Accelerating Affordable Housing for Northern Michigan
Project Location: Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan – 2630 US 23, Alpena, MI 49707 & Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity – 1840 M-119, Petoskey, MI 49770
Project Sponsor: Habitat for Humanity Northeast Michigan & Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity
Requested Amount: $10,000,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would be used by Habitats for Humanity Northeast Michigan and Northwest Michigan to acquire real estate and cover front-end planning and site development costs associated with building affordable housing in Northern Michigan. These Habitats have developed a process for accelerating the amount of time it takes to build a quality, safe, affordable home customized to individual family needs within a four-to-six-month period using Michigan vendors and financial partners. The Habitats aim to provide homes for over 150 families within five years and offer a model to mitigate the housing crisis on the national level.
Project Name: Permanent Supportive Housing Project
Project Location: 154 Parkside Dr., Kincheloe, MI 49788
Project Sponsor: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
Requested Amount: $2,000,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would be used by the Sault Tribe Housing Authority to construct a three-story, 18-unit multi-family apartment complex for Permanent Supportive Housing, assisting individuals and families transitioning from the tribe’s existing homeless shelter. This initiative is part of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians’ ongoing efforts to combat homelessness and provide stable housing and community connections for tribal members. By offering permanent supportive housing, the tribe seeks to reduce reliance on emergency services, with studies showing significant cost savings compared to alternative shelter programs.
Project Name: Citywide Drinking Water Infrastructure Improvements
Project Location: Ludington Street, 2nd Street to 9th Street, Escanaba, MI 49829
Project Sponsor: City of Escanaba
Requested Amount: $1,875,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The City of Escanaba has secured funding from Michigan’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to replace lead-impacted water services and aging water mains across the city, covering over 10 miles and 2,000 water services. While this funding has significantly advanced lead removal efforts, federal support is needed to acquire further water infrastructure components – such as valves, hydrants, and additional water mains – due to the large project scale.
Project Name: City of Escanaba Watermain Upgrade and Lead Service Line Replacements
Project Location: Ludington Street, 2nd Street to 9th Street, Escanaba, MI 49829
Project Sponsor: City of Escanaba
Requested Amount: $1,875,000
Member Certification Form
Description: Consistent with the State of Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule, this project aims to replace seventy-seven lead-affected drinking water services, upgrade aging infrastructure, and ensure adequate fire flow throughout the City of Escanaba – primarily along US-2.
Project Name: Houghton County Patrol Vehicles Request
Project Location: 401 E. Houghton Ave, Houghton, MI 49931
Project Sponsor: County of Houghton
Requested Amount: $192,449
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would be used by Houghton County to acquire two new patrol cars and necessary onboard equipment to replace aging vehicles and ensure efficient and effective law enforcement operations throughout the county in 2024.
Project Name: Bois Blanc Township River Harbor
Project Location: 431 Sioux Ave, Pointe aux Pins, MI 49775
Project Sponsor: Bois Blanc Township
Requested Amount: $5,500,000
Member Certification Form
Description: As Bois Blanc Township’s 5.8-acre parcel of land on the eastern shore of the Cheboygan River currently lacks mainland ferry facilities, this project aims to develop a river harbor to cater to transportation needs to and from Bois Blanc Island. With its extensive river frontage, the harbor would serve residents, property owners, and visitors, and feature essential amenities like vehicle parking, ferry wells, boat slips, a boat ramp, and a terminal building. This project seeks to address the critical need for vehicle, cargo, and passenger transportation, ensuring accessibility and convenience for all users traveling to and from the island.
Project Name: Higgins Lake Wastewater Collection and Treatment System, Phase II
Project Location: 2997 W. Higgins Lake Drive, Roscommon, MI 48653
Project Sponsor: Gerrish Lyon Utility Authority
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Member Certification Form
Description: The funding would be used to meet pre-construction costs for urgently needed sewer system upgrades for the residents of Higgins Lake. With nearly all surrounding properties relying on private septic systems, contaminant levels in lake and well water have reached unsafe levels, posing serious threats to human health and the environment. The Gerrish Lyon Utility Authority is seeking federal funds to support the design and development of a new wastewater treatment system, essential to preventing further harm from septic system contaminants.
