A Bridge Michigan investigation found more than 100,000 Michigan residents live in the floodpath of a high or significant-hazard dam.
The Michigan Senate voted to revise Michigan's “lax” dam safety laws on Oct. 1, moving much-needed reforms one step closer to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Michigan’s dams average 80-years old; a Bridge Michigan investigation found more than 100,000 Michigan residents live in the floodpath of a high or significant-hazard dam.
The two approved bills strengthen flood control standards, increase the frequency of dam inspections and require dam owners to prove they can maintain the infrastructure.
“Reforms were first proposed after dam failures in mid-Michigan caused more than $200 million in damages. They languished until this spring, when flooding caused another round of costly dam failures and near-failures,” the Associated Press reports.
Read the full story: Long-Awaited Dam Safety Reforms Move Closer to Law After Michigan Senate Vote
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