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July 2023
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Michigan State Parks Recreation Passport4/12/2020 The Recreation Passport replaces the state parks sticker to get you into all state parks, state recreation areas and state boat launches. This does not include local, county, municipal, or metropolitan parks or recreation areas.
 When you renew your license plate and purchase a Recreation Passport,
your new tab will have a special "P" printed on it. The tab serves as your Recreation Passport. You will not receive a separate parks sticker. Michigan.gov/RecreationPassport
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From Michigan Lakes and Streams:
Michigan Executive Order No. 2020-42MLSA would like to highlight some points in the most recent Executive Order titled "Temporary requirement to suspend activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life" from Governor Gretchen Whitmer. These points may impact Riparian homeowners and boaters in Michigan through the end of April. This language comes directly from Executive Order No. 2020-42:7 - (a) Individuals may leave their home or place of residence, and travel as necessary: (1) To engage in outdoor physical activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household. Outdoor physical activity includes walking, hiking, running, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, or other similar physical activity, as well as any comparable activity for those with limited mobility. (b) Individuals may also travel: (1) To return to a home or place of residence from outside this state. (2) To leave this state for a home or residence elsewhere. (3) Between two residences in this state, through April 10, 2020. After that date, travel between two residences is not permitted. (4) As required by law enforcement or a court order, including the transportation of children pursuant to a custody agreement. (c) All other travel is prohibited, including all travel to vacation rentals. 12 - No one shall advertise or rent a short-term vacation property except as necessary to assist in housing a health care professional or volunteer aiding in the response to the COVID-19 crisis. The full Executive Order can be read HERE. This language comes directly from the FAQ section for Executive Order No. 2020-42: Q: Does boating constitute “outdoor activity” under the new executive order? A: Physical outdoor activity like kayaking, canoeing, and sailing is permitted under the order, but using a motorboat, a jet ski, or other similar watercraft is not. Any outdoor activity permitted under the order, including boating, must be done in a manner consistent with social distancing, and individuals should use only their own equipment to prevent the transmission of the virus through the touching of shared surfaces. Additionally, in accordance with section 2 of the order, persons not part of a single household may not boat together. While some boating is permitted under the order, the provision of boating services or supplies does not itself constitute critical infrastructure work, and businesses and operations may not designate workers to come to work for that purpose. As needed, these businesses and operations may designate workers to leave their home for work if their in-person presence is strictly necessary to conduct the minimum basic operations listed in section 4(b) of the order. Minimum basic operations do not include serving members of the public. The order, however, does permit in-person work necessary to maintain the safety and sanitation of sites otherwise open to the public for outdoor physical activity permitted under the order. All in-person work permitted under the order must be done in accordance with the mitigation measures listed in section 10 of the order. The full FAQ section for Executive Order No. 2020-42 can be read HERE.
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Maximum Watercraft Speeds4/4/2020 MI Legislature Passes and Governor Whitmer Signs Legislation that Empowers the MI DNR and Local Units of Government to Limit Maximum Watercraft Speeds Responding to an onslaught of complaints from waterfront property owners regarding unsafe conditions and damage inflicted upon moored boats, docks, and other shoreline infrastructure equipment by high energy wakes created by boaters operating at excessive speeds, the state legislature has passed and Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation that empowers the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as well as local units of government to limit the maximum speed of vessels operating upon the waters of Michigan. Both the frequency and severity of wake inflicted waterfront property damage as well as concerns for public safety have significantly increased over the course of the past few boating seasons due primarily to the record high water levels that are currently being experienced by most inland waters within the Great Lakes region.
The language of Michigan House Bill 5401 (now Public Act 70 of 2020) that became state law on April 2, 2020 reads in part: (3) Upon receipt of a resolution by the governing body of a local unit of government having jurisdiction over waters of this state requesting a reduction in the maximum speed limit on those waters, the department, pursuant to sections 80108 and 80109 to 80113, may establish a maximum speed limit not to exceed 40 miles per hour on those waters. (4) Upon receipt of a resolution of the governing body of a county or municipality requesting a reduction in the maximum vessel speed limit to protect life and property during emergency conditions, the department, the county emergency management coordinator, or the county sheriff may establish a temporary reduced maximum vessel speed limit on waters of this state located in the county or municipality. In that case, the department, emergency management coordinator, or sheriff, respectively, shall do all of the following: (a) Specify a maximum fine for violating the temporary speed limit. The maximum fine shall not be greater than $100.00 for a first violation of a temporary speed limit established by that authority or $500.00 for a second or subsequent violation. (b) Notify the other authorities authorized to issue temporary speed limits under this subsection of the temporary speed limit. (c) Post the temporary speed limit, the maximum fine, and a description of the affected waters on its website. (d) Subject to section 80159, place buoys sufficient to advise vessel operators of the temporary speed limit. To read House Enrolled Bill 5401 (now Public Act 70 of 2020) as passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor in its entirety, click here. |
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