COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Administrator Bud Norman told the County Board of Commissioners on Thursday that the Michigan D.N.R. has indefinitely delayed a decision on the proposed reclassification of the Prairie River west of Bronson from a warm stream to a cold transitional stream.
He said this will allow for more temperature data to be collected.
The Natural Resources Commission was scheduled to make a decision on January 12 but the Commissioners passed a resolution on a 5-0 vote that was strongly against the river’s reclassification.
Aaron Rice from Rice Well Drilling is part of a group opposed to the change and he thanked Commissioners and others who helped for their efforts during the Commissioners work session on Thursday. Rice added they need to stay vigilant.
The resolution took the Michigan D.N.R. to task as it stated the stream temperature data is limited and was collected without following EPA protocols.
Jay Westley from the Fisheries Division of the D.N.R. said during the December 20 Commissioners meeting they wanted to change the stream designation from warm to cold due to the brown trout population.
In other business, the Commissioners suspended rules and passed a motion to approve one of the settlement agreements pertaining to lawsuits that were filed in connection to the national opioid crisis several years ago.
The action came after the settlement was discussed in a closed session.
Branch County Commissioners decided in 2018 to join other Michigan cities and counties in an lawsuit against 21 drug companies, distributors and pharmacies in an attempt to get back expenses. A $4-and-a-half-billion settlement was reached during the summer of 2021 with Purdue Pharma concerning their alleged role.
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