There’s an important issue looming in Michigan, one that has been overshadowed of late by understandable media focus on road funding, national politics, international terrorism and refugees.
I refer to the commendable efforts of Democratic Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters to push for federal support of a new super-sized shipping lock at Sault Ste. Marie.
They announced last week that the Army Corps of Engineers and White House budget officials now support a $1.35 million cost-benefit study that, assuming it comes out as Michigan hopes, could, as noted by the Detroit Free Press, “be the first step toward a new $600-million lock in Sault Ste. Marie that freight companies, steelmakers and other industry partners have wanted for years.