Non-Fiction

On February 9, Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy denied a permit to build a marina along the Kalamazoo River near Lake Michigan in southwest Michigan. Days later, the Army Corps of Engineers denied a separate permit for the marina. These events mark an extraordinary victory for the diverse group of citizens who have fought to protect the Kalamazoo River mouth and the surrounding Saugatuck Dunes for decades.

This case stands as an example of how persistence and coalition-building can protect even privately owned sensitive natural areas. The state’s denial letter highlighted all the arguments activists had presented for opposing the development, including threats to recreation, fish and wildlife, aesthetics, Potawatomi tribal resources, and the public trust.