VBT response: Van Buren Township’s compliance is Federal requirement

Thank you for providing Van Buren Township the opportunity to clarify the July 24, 2014 front-page article entitled, “Belleville’s Kayak Launch put on hold by Van Buren Township’s decision to go to FERC.”
As many community residents may already know, Van Buren Township owns the property under Belleville Lake.
Detroit Edison Company dammed the Huron River in 1925 to create Belleville Lake, the largest inland all-sports lake in Wayne County.
In 1972, Edison deeded the dam to Van Buren Township for $1.00.
In the 1980s, Van Buren Township contracted with STS Hydropower to generate hydroelectric power at the French Landing Dam; this contract continues today.
The French Landing Dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Van Buren Township and STS are co-licensees on the Federal project.
In accordance with the FERC license, Van Buren Township may grant use of its lakefront property to single-family-type dwellings for personal use; this project use is then subject to approval from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Granting use of its property on Belleville Lake to other than a single-family-type dwelling requires Van Buren Township and STS Hydropower (as co-licensee) agreement, a State agency review and comment period, and official FERC approval.
In February 2013, Van Buren Township personnel had an informal meeting with a City of Belleville official and a City of Belleville Downtown Development Authority member in which the topic of Bayshore North Condominiums’ required FERC compliance was briefly discussed.
Van Buren Township representatives shared concern and caution with representatives of the City of Belleville and its DDA regarding the multi-faceted Federal approval process that may be required of the City should it obtain the MDNR grant funding.
In compliance with the FERC license, a governmental entity (in this case, the City of Belleville) is not considered a single-family-type dwelling.
The FERC license and its language are not subject to interpretation: Van Buren Township and STS Hydropower must request FERC project use approval on Belleville Lake for the City of Belleville.
While Van Buren Township maintains its inter-governmental support for the Kayak Launch Project, FERC compliance is mandatory.
Indeed, Van Buren Township representatives are working closely with the City of Belleville DDA on the FERC process and are anxious to continue its mutually beneficial inter-governmental relationship.
— Karin LaMothe, Executive Assistant to Supervisor
Submitted at the direction of Township Supervisor Linda H. Combs