Staff Reports
Finally, a victory for common sense! A Michigan man has been convicted of illegally sending water where it’s actually supposed to go. Can you believe it? It sounds like something out of a left-wing environmentalist’s wildest dreams, but it’s true. This 63-year-old hero, Andrew Blair Howard, took matters into his own hands and did what needed to be done to restore the Platte River in Michigan to its natural order.
Man Convicted on Federal Charges for Diverting River, But It's Just What Rescue Boats Neededhttps://t.co/JmobG7jPEX
— Warner Todd Huston (@warnerthuston) February 13, 2024
This brave man was arrested after he built a small dam out of rocks in August of 2022, and you know what? Good for him! His actions caused a change in the flow of the Platte River near Michigan’s Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Howard was convicted this month on charges of tampering and vandalism at the state park, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Michigan. But what they fail to recognize is that incoming entrepreneurs deserve to have the chance for commercial fishing at some of the more popular territory on the Platte River.
The nerve of some people trying to stop Howard from restoring the river to its natural state is unbelievable! It’s totally ridiculous that he was convicted of simply doing what needed to be done to fix the mess caused by the government’s neglect. In 2017, park managers had stopped the nearly 50-year practice of dredging the mouth of the river, and Howard’s actions were a direct response to this lack of upkeep. Not only did he improve access for boats coming in and out of Platte Bay, but he also lowered the water level upstream, aiding in public safety. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources supported Howard’s actions, acknowledging that the channel he dug helped the river and alleviated a public safety issue by enabling its rescue boats to once again gain quick access to the bay.
The audacity of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to claim that Howard caused “significant financial and ecological harm” is laughable. He actually improved the situation for boaters and played a part in cycling the river back toward its natural course. It’s high time our government starts acknowledging the hard work of regular, everyday Americans like Andrew Blair Howard and give credit where credit is due!
Of course, it’s no surprise that the park service officials are more concerned about the needs of piping plover birds and beach aesthetics than the safety and well-being of local boaters. It’s just typical of the overreach and lack of common sense we expect from government agencies. It’s really a shame that they’re willing to spend taxpayer money to protect birds and maintain beach “aesthetics,” but turning a blind eye to the safety and access needs of the local community.
In the end, the conviction of Andrew Blair Howard is just another example of overbearing government bureaucracy at its worst. It’s a travesty that Howard is being punished for doing the right thing and trying to bring some common sense and real-world results to an out-of-touch government agency. Let’s hope that in the future, the authorities will come to their senses and recognize the good that Howard did for the river and the community.
