NPS seeks comment on Manitou Island project at Sleeping Bear Dunes

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The National Parks Service is seeking public comment on a restoration project set to replace or repair the docks on the Manitou Islands within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore .

The $32 million project would be covered by the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund , which was approved in 2020 to address long overdue maintenance needs across the NPS system.

According to the NPS , littoral drift, or naturally occurring shifting sands, has caused sand to accumulate around the docks and requires regular dredging and other maintenance. The high water levels in recent years and lack of ice cover have made shoreline erosion even worse and caused more issues for the docks.

The islands, which sit 12 and 16 miles west of Leland, respectively, are only accessible by private boat or passenger ferry. NPS officials say the sand accumulation has particularly impacted the ferries.

The 30-day public comment period opened Monday and will run until May 18.

“We at the park are grateful to receive funding from the Great American Outdoors act for this critical project that will ensure ongoing safe and consistent access to the Manitou Islands,” Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Scott Tucker said in a statement . “These islands are treasured destinations at the park, and the docks are a critical point of access for visitors to experience all that the islands have to offer.”

Hard copies of the plan are available at the park’s headquarters. The NPS will also hold a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. on May 2 to review the plan.

Comments can be submitted through the NPS website , mailed or hand-delivered to the park headquarters at 9922 Front St. in Empire.

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