Rep. Camp says he's 'encoouraged'

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering approval of an appropriations bill for the 2007-08 fiscal year that includes $190,000 for dredging Leland Harbor.

U.S. Rep. David Camp (R-Midland) said last week the House Water and Energy subcommittee recommended approval of the appropriation.

“I expect the bill will be on the floor next week. But, I’m encouraged that we have the Leland Harbor (dredge) in the bill,” he said.

Camp and Leland Harbormaster Russell Dzuba met in Traverse City last week to talk about harbor-related issues. Camp said he came away from the meeting with an understanding of the importance of the dredging on the boating season.

“It’s a big issue. When he (Dzuba) came and saw me, it was pretty apparent something has to be done.” Camp said.

Dzuba said he also heard from representatives with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin’s office that the Senate appropriations bill set the funding for the Leland dredge at $190,000 as well.

“Representative Camp said he is struggling with keeping the $190,000 intact as it goes through full House consideration,” Dzuba said.

The funding will be included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget for 2008. Dzuba said Corps officials will determine how much of tit will be used for dredging the harbor. “We won’t see $190,000 worth of dredging here, but the funding should be there,” he said.

Each year the Leland Township Harbor Commission works with congressional aides and representatives to make sure there is funding set aside for the harbor dredge. Dredging is commissioned by the Corps, which is the federal agency responsible for ensuring the harbor entrance is open. In 1994, Corps officials announced they would no longer include funding in the Corps’ annual budget for dredging of small, recreational harbors like Leland.

Since that time Leland Harbor commission members have worked with Michigan’s representatives and senators to make sure adequate funding from Congress is in place to pay for the dredging.

That was the case this year as well until February, when the House removed all funding for “earmarked” projects, including the Leland harbor dredge.

The result was a citizen-led effort, coordinated in part by the township’s harbor commission, to raise funds both publicly and privately to pay for the dredge work. The harbor commission committed $37,000, with permission from the State Waterways Commission, and paired that with $30,000 raised through private citizens, businesses and other governmental agencies, including the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The dredging work was not completed this year until the second week of June.