DONE DEAL: Michigan man is found guilty on two federal crimes after diverting.
A Michigan man is found guilty on two federal crimes after diverting a river into the Great Lake.
Michigan man has been found guilty of two federal offenses for building a dam in 2022 that redirected a river into Lake Michigan.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan reports that Andrew Blair Howard, 63, of Frankfort, Michigan, was found guilty of tampering and vandalism for diverting the Platte River in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
According to the authorities, Howard dug boulders and silt out of the river basin in August 2022 with a shovel. To redirect the river’s flow of water toward a channel he had excavated leading to Lake Michigan, he placed big boulders atop a dam. This went against the National Park Service’s determination to allow the river to run naturally.
The passage, according to the prosecution, expanded to nearly 200 feet in width in a matter of days, giving big vessels illegal access to Platte Bay.
According to mlive.com, not everyone was unhappy with the diversion because it made it extremely difficult for recreational boats to enter and exit Platte Bay due to a sandy spit that had developed along the Platte Point beach.
According to mlive.com, representatives from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources applauded the modifications, stating that the divergence made it possible for rescue vessels to reach the bay swiftly.
Despite a disagreement over policy with the National Park Service, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated that Howard was not permitted to handle things on his own.
In a statement, Totten stated, “His actions resulted in significant financial and ecological harm and altered the landscape so many enjoyed.” “My office pledges to protect Michigan’s natural treasures today and every day.”
It’s unknown what sanctions Howard will face. There is no scheduled date for sentence.
