|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
November 29, 2004Feds come up short for Crystal River land purchasePromised $2 million trimmed to $1.5 millionByRecord-Eagle staff writer GLEN ARBOR - Federal officials failed to come through with all the money they pledged to close a deal to make 104 acres along the Crystal River part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. A federal appropriations bill signed into law earmarked $1.5 million for the Crystal River project - not the $2 million originally promised. The appropriations bill was gutted by roughly $100 million in across-the-board, last-minute cuts that took U.S. Rep. Dave Camp R-Midland, by surprise, Camp spokesman Sage Eastman said. "It's a pretty tough climate in terms of everything when it comes to budget items," Eastman said. Eastman said Camp will work to secure funds in future years and that the cutback should not be seen as an ominous sign for the Crystal River deal, which would put the Leelanau Conservancy on the hook for a $4.85 million in loans that the nonprofit plans to pay back with future appropriations from Congress. "It poses some problems, but I think it's a problem we'll have to find a way to surmount," said conservancy executive director Brian Price. "We will have to find a way to scrape together the money or the conservancy will have to buy some of the land." The $2 million in federal money was one part of a three-step plan to purchase 104 acres of environmentally sensitive property from the Homestead Resort near Glen Arbor. Price said the National Park Service already closed on a deal to purchase a 22-acre parcel from the Homestead with federal money allocated last year. The conservancy plans to close soon on a deal that would purchase 59 acres of the property with loans worth $4.85 million. The $2 million was to be used to purchase the remaining 23 acres and was critical because the Homestead made it clear they wanted to sell the entire property at once. If the agreement goes through it would end a dispute that started 18 years ago when the Homestead announced it planned to build a golf course on the property, leading to public opposition and years of lawsuits. A Homestead spokesman said he did not want to comment until the deal is final.
|
|
