PROTECTING MICHIGAN'S LANDS, PARKS AND TRAILS

Senator Levin has long been a champion of Michigan’s valuable land, parks and trails.  He has consistently secured appropriations for these projects and has signed onto numerous letters of support for increased funding for these important state assets.  For example, since FY 2001, he has secured more than $12 million for Keweenaw National Historical Park and $11 million for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Along with his efforts to obtain critical funding for units of the National Park System in Michigan, Senator Levin has also introduced a number of bills to improve these important resources.  In 1991, he introduced legislation that established the Keweenaw National Historical Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Over the years, he has on several occasions introduced legislation to improve the Park by decreasing the local matching funds requirement, increasing the authorization for Park appropriations, and providing flexibility for additional land acquisition authority. 

Senator Levin also introduced legislation to designate the Beaver Basin Area as wilderness in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  This designation would permanently protect 11,740 acres of land – about 16 percent of the lakeshore -- preserving the pristine state of this area for years to come.  Senator Levin has also cosponsored “willing seller” legislation for the North Country National Scenic Trail that would assist the federal government in purchasing land from private individuals who want to sell their property to help complete this important trail.  When completed, the trail will span seven states and roughly 4,600 miles, approximately 1,000 miles of which will be located in Michigan, preserving critical outdoor recreational opportunities while providing a boost to the local economies along the trail. 

Senator Levin also introduced a companion bill to Representative John Dingell’s legislation in the House that would designate the River Raisin War of 1812 battlefield site in Monroe, Michigan, as a unit of the National Park System.  These four bills were included as part of an omnibus lands package that has been passed by the Senate two times in 2009.

Senator Levin understands the importance of wildlife conservation and has been a strong supporter of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.  Established in 2001, by legislation introduced by Senator Levin and Congressman John Dingell, this area is the only wildlife refuge located in a metropolitan area.  The Refuge follows approximately 48 miles of the Detroit River and western shore of Lake Erie down to the Michigan/Ohio border, providing a number of species with critical protections in a highly developed area. 

Recently, Senator Levin worked to include a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R.4986, P.L.110-181) that adds roughly 50 acres to the Detroit River Wildlife Refuge, and requires the Department of Defense to carry out environmental cleanup activities at the property.  The land being transferred sits in what is known locally as the "conservation crescent" of the Detroit River and holds great potential for restoration of fish and wildlife habitat.

Since fiscal year 1999, Senator Levin secured about $56 million for the Detroit Riverfront Project. These funds will be used in part to acquire land for a major five-mile walkway and greenway along the Detroit River. The riverwalk is transforming a neglected industrial wasteland into a beautiful, outdoor recreational space for the people of Michigan as well as visitors to the great city of Detroit.

Senator Levin is proud of his strong record of conservation and parks stewardship and will continue to work to ensure that our national treasures are improved and enhanced for future generations.