The draft supplemental restoration plan for the Tittabawassee River and Saginaw River and Bay is now available for public review and comment. Developed by the Tittabawassee River and the Saginaw River and Bay Trustee Councils, the draft plan provides an overview of the Saginaw Bay watershed, the process used to solicit restoration ideas from stakeholders and the subsequent development of the preferred restoration alternative which describes the submitted projects. The two trustee councils are now releasing the draft plan with the intent of incorporating public comment.
On November 4, 2021, the trustee councils jointly announced the availability of funding for stakeholder-identified restoration projects to be implemented in the Saginaw Bay watershed, including in and along the Tittabawassee and Saginaw rivers. The funding available for restoration comes from two settlements for natural resources damages in the watershed: the 2020 settlement with The Dow Chemical Company and the 1998 settlement with General Motors Corporation. The trustee councils have allocated a total of up to $5.75 million to fund new stakeholder-identified restoration projects, in addition to the projects already identified in the previously published restoration plans for each settlement.
The trustees evaluated 16 projects that met their eligibility criteria. In some cases, proposals were further developed with project proponents and several projects were combined. The resulting preferred alternative consists of nine projects and one additional proposed project for which the decision to fund would be deferred pending the resolution of certain feasibility issues. Two projects consist of acquisitions for fee title or easement; seven projects incorporate elements of riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian or wetland restoration and natural resource-based recreation; and one project would contribute to conservation of a state-listed species, the lake sturgeon.
Comments regarding the draft plan may be submitted in writing or via e-mail to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the 30-day public comment period. The period of review and comment begins on Thursday, February 23, 2023 and will conclude Monday, March 27, 2023.
The draft supplemental restoration plan is available at the Tittabawassee Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration case website. Paper copies of the draft supplemental restoration plan are available by request.
Comment regarding the draft supplemental restoration plan may be submitted by email to t.river.nrda@fws.gov or by mail directed to the contacts noted below. Comments should be submitted no later than March 27, 2023. The trustees will then incorporate review and comment. The trustees hope to publish a final restoration plan by April 30, 2023.
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