Michigan Flood Puts Privately Owned Dams in Harsh Spotlight
- Midland County floods after yearslong dispute with dam owner
- Boyce Hydro Power says state, counties, homeowners share blame
The Edenville dam is seen after breaking in Midland, Michigan, on May 20.
Photographer: Emily Elconin/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The dams that breached after days of heavy rain in central Michigan are privately owned and had been the center of controversy for several years. Now Governor Gretchen Whitmer is saying these critical facilities should not be in private hands.
“We need to be very clear,” Whitmer said at a news conference Thursday. “This is a privately owned dam. We can talk about the merits of whether private companies should own critical infrastructure. I don’t think that they should.”