East Michigan News

The Midland dam crisis must be looked at by an independent investigator, Rep. Roger Hauck (R-Union Township) said, according to Michigan House Republicans.

Hauck called on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to take action to prevent a similar situation to the failure of the Edenville and Sanford dams. Last month, a flooding emergency wreaked havoc on central Michigan, with Midland County bearing the brunt of the damage.

Hauck explained on the Michigan House Republicans website that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rescinded the Edenville Dam’s operator’s license, owned by Boyce Hydro, in 2018 after the company neglected to upgrade the dam’s spillways and reduce the risk of failure.

The lawmaker said the state subsequently assumed oversight of the dam and allowed it to continue operating. He pointed out there are many qualified entities inside and outside of Michigan that could conduct such an investigation.

“For the water crisis in Flint, independent investigators were hired to examine the catastrophe, as we did not trust the state Department of Environmental Quality to investigate its own mismanagement of the crisis,” Hauck said on the Michigan House Republicans website. “The disaster involving the Edenville and Sanford dams warrants the same method -- the people of Midland County and the surrounding area deserve a fair investigation.”

He further acknowledged how the affected areas are dealing with two problems -- first, the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, the flooding.

“Many of our family members, friends and neighbors have had to evacuate their homes; the damage caused to households, apartment buildings, public parks and businesses is almost unbearable to think about,” he told Michigan House Republicans. The families in our community deserve answers -- and a private investigation is our best bet.”

Hauck encouraged citizens to reach out to his office through email at RogerHauck@house.mi.gov or by calling 517-373-1789.