Michigan Sea Grant and more than a dozen co-sponsors are inviting representatives of Michigan's Great Lakes ports – from Detroit to DeTour Village, from Saginaw to Saugatuck – to gather in Lansing on Oct. 28-29 to chart a course for their collective future at the third Michigan Port Collaborative Summit.
Carol Linteau, coordinator of the collaborative summit, says the key to a successful summit is participation by local delegations with diverse perspectives and ideas. She says that this includes elected officials; tourism, recreation, convention and visitor bureau leaders; economic development specialists; cargo shipping, ferry, marina, and harbor operators; and museum, lighthouse, and Great Lakes underwater sanctuary and preserve leaders.
In addition to a keynote address from Lt. Gov. John Cherry titled “Coastal Communities: Michigan’s Front Door,” participants will hear presentations on trends and opportunities in Great Lakes port communities, setting an agenda for Michigan cargo port communities, advancing goals of Michigan small harbors, effective regional port partnerships, discovering and promoting Michigan’s maritime heritage, ensuring universal and remote access to the Michigan port and Great Lakes experience, and identifying incentives for Great Lakes port excursions.
Linteau, who works in the Executive Division of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, believes that this will be an important working meeting.
She says, “We will discuss three important proposals, which we think are key to the Collaborative’s future success: Exploring a Collaborative Support Structure, Initiating a Michigan Port Legislative Caucus and Creating a Michigan Port Community Designation Process.”
Early registration deadline for the event is Thursday, Oct. 22, and the cost is $40; walk-in registration is $60.
To register and for a detailed agenda, maps and directions, go to: http://www.mighigan.gov/deqworkshops, and select “Upcoming DEQ workshops,” or contact the DEQ’s Environmental Assistance Center at 1-800-662-9278, or e-mail at deq-ead-env-assist@michigan.gov.
“Michigan Sea Grant is co-sponsoring the event because we work hand-in-hand every day with coastal communities to enhance their economies in sustainable ways,” says district Sea Grant Extension educator Mark Breederland of northwestern Michigan. “Our experience has shown that individual communities can accomplish more when they cooperate. We’re pleased to work with so many partners to help achieve this goal.”
Other co-sponsors are: Michigan Municipal League; Michigan Townships Association; Michigan Association of Counties; Community Economic Development Association of Michigan; Michigan Boating Industries Association; Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth; Cool Cities; Michigan Department of Natural Resources; Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority; Pure Michigan; Michigan Department of Transportation; Michigan State Housing Development Authority and American Planning Association-Michigan.
Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal/Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant network of more than 30 university-based programs.
Visit http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu for additional information.
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