Congress Approves Bill to Preserve Sleeping Bear Wilderness Land

Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin today welcomed final House passage of a bill they introduced to protect more than 30,000 acres of wilderness at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

House passage of S.23, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act, which Levin and Stabenow introduced in 2013, sends the bill to President Obama for his signature. The Senate passed the bill in June 2013.

"I'm glad the House has joined us in recognizing the importance of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This designation will protect their breathtaking beauty for generations to come," Stabenow said. "The Dunes bring 1.2 million visitors a year to Michigan from across the country. By designating this wilderness land, we are helping promote one of our state's top Pure Michigan tourist attractions and protecting an integral part of our Great Lakes."

"Final passage of this legislation is good news for all of us who cherish the matchless beauty and the ecological importance of Sleeping Bear Dunes," Levin said. "The local community has worked long and hard to preserve this valuable wilderness while ensuring that visitors can access and appreciate it, and I am pleased that the House has followed the Senate to preserve this important part of Michigan's heritage."