2026 House Resolution 297

Whereas, The Great Lakes shorelines and beaches are a critical resource for our state, supporting both the economy and a way of life for many Michiganders; and

Whereas, It has been reported that 131.2 million visitors traveled to Michigan in 2024, spending 30.7 billion dollars in destinations across the state. This was a 4.9 percent increase from 29.3 billion dollars in 2023. Michigan’s 2024 visitors generated 3.6 billion dollars in state and local tax revenue; and

Whereas, Coastal erosion has become a serious menace to both the economy and the general welfare of the people of this state, resulting in a significant loss of public and private property. The issue of erosion has risen to crisis levels; and

Whereas, In the wake of increased shoreline erosion along the Great Lakes, shoreline armoring has increased significantly in recent years. In 2019 and 2020, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy saw a nearly fivefold increase in the number of permit applications for shoreline protection projects; and

Whereas, A study found for every dollar spent on the soft resilience option of beach nourishment, about 3,000 dollars of economic output is generated, with an additional 1,400 dollars in direct spending and 200 dollars in taxes. However, despite the economic and environmental benefits of soft engineering, hard armoring techniques of erosion prevention have proliferated along the shorelines of the Great Lakes, ultimately worsening erosion along Michigan’s beaches; and

Whereas, Water levels regularly cycle from high to low over time, and we have historically reacted to them, rather than identifying proactive solutions such as beach nourishment, offshore breakwaters, and other solutions that “engineer with nature”; and

Whereas, By the legal principle of the Public Trust Doctrine, the navigable waters and bottomlands of the Great Lakes are held in trust by the public, with the state of Michigan serving as the trustee obligated to manage and protect this resource; and

Whereas, Michigan beaches have been recognized as some of the best in the United States, but worsening erosion exacerbated by man-made structures is causing these beaches to disappear; and

Whereas, On February 10, 2026, Congress introduced H.R. 7459, titled the Coastal Trust Fund Act, which would establish the Coastal Storm Risk Management Trust Fund; and

Whereas, This fund would provide a permanent source of federal funding to be used for the construction, operation, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, and periodic nourishment of coastal storm risk management projects; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the Michigan congressional delegation to help advance and support H.R. 7459 and the creation of a Coastal Storm Risk Management Trust Fund that may be used to provide funding for beach nourishment projects; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to each member of the Michigan congressional delegation.