Resolutions on National Forest usage, Soo Locks upgrades introduced

LANSING — Two Upper Peninsula lawmakers introduced proposed resolutions to the State House of Representatives Thursday.

Representative Scott Dianda introduced a resolution which would encourage the U.S. Forest Service to allow owners of privately held hunting camps on leased acres within the Ottawa National Forest to continue to keep their camps on the land after their leases expire in 2016. Residents originally leased these parcels from UPPCO in the early nineties and were given the option of signing a 25-year lease when the land was sold to the Forest Service.

Representative John Kivela introduced a resolution to encourage the Federal government to support plans to upgrade the Soo Locks. His resolution cited economic and security risks posed by the reliance on the Poe Lock for seventy percent of cargo passage in the important shipping channel.

The newly introduced resolutions will go to the appropriate committees for consideration.