A Message from The Chairman regarding the proposed Camp Grayling expansion...

For more than a month, members of our Foundation have been attending DNR and Michigan National Guard presentations and gathering information on the proposal of the Guard to more than double the size of Camp Grayling to approximately 484 square miles, for electromagnetic warfare testing and training, which they sometimes refer to as cyber warfare. Although we have many remaining questions and concerns about this proposal, our Board’s initial focus is opposition because of the lack of information demonstrating that this very significant expansion is truly necessary. From information we have, we believe the Guard may be able to conduct these activities on its existing 231 square miles.

This was the specific initial position we adopted at a special meeting of the Board: The Au Sable North Branch Area Foundation is opposed to the proposed Camp Grayling lease expansion of 253 square miles, more than doubling the size and encroaching on fragile wetlands, as unnecessary and inconsistent with the mission statement of the MDNR which is "to conserve, protect, manage, use, and enjoy our great State’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations". The critical values expressed in this mission statement should be given extraordinarily strong weight considering the enormity of the proposal and its potential impacts.

This expansion should not even be considered, and no further investigation of the appropriateness of it should occur unless and until the following threshold question is answered to the satisfaction of the MDNR and the constituents of Michigan, in a detailed and convincing manner:

Why can't the National Guard use currently available tools such as scheduling, geographic separation, geofencing, and other reasonable measures, to perform its intended electromagnetic warfare testing and training within its existing management agreement footprint of 231 square miles?