WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, announced today that they have secured $427,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Army Corps to make emergency repairs to the Petoskey breakwater, which lost a 50-foot section on March 13, 2006, due to high wind, waves, and ice.  Repairs are to begin within the next two weeks. 

“Ever since the breach in the breakwater occurred last spring, we have been concerned that time was of the essence – the longer it goes without being repaired, the greater the risks of additional damage and more extensive repairs,” Levin said.  “By fixing the breakwater now, we are saving taxpayer dollars by avoiding more expensive repairs in the future.”

Levin continued: “We are pleased that the Army Corps recognized the urgency that we and the Governor have been expressing and identified the funding to fix the breakwater.  We all hope the repairs will be made promptly.” 

"It's important that we were able to secure these funds now, so work can be completed before winter begins and the breakwater is damaged even further," said Stupak. "The Petoskey Breakwater is a local landmark.  I am pleased that we were able to secure funding for these repairs and I look forward to working to return the breakwater to its original state."

The funding announced today is excess FY06 funding that the Army Corps can reprogram to use for the breakwater repairs.  Levin and Stupak have worked in close consultation with the Governor’s office in securing approval to reprogram the Army Corps money.

On June 29, Levin and Stabenow succeeded in securing $1 million for Petoskey breakwater repairs in the committee-approved FY07 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.  Because that bill still needs to be approved by the full Senate and a House-Senate conference committee before being signed into law sometime later this fall, Levin and Stupak were concerned that the delay in repairing the breakwater could lead to additional damage and substantially drive up repair costs.

In addition to the Governor, Levin and Stupak also received support from Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, and State Rep. Gary McDowell, D-Rudyard. 

The Petoskey breakwater is a federally-authorized navigational structure installed in 1908, which the U.S. Army Corps has full responsibility for overseeing.

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