Proponent seeks county backing for proposed multipurpose port and aggregate operation in eastern U.P.

A project proponent urged the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners to back a proposed multipurpose port and aggregate operation he said would serve the eastern Upper Peninsula and the Great Lakes region. The presentation described a private investment of about $70,000,000, a projected 50 jobs once at estimated capacity, and a claimed 2,000,000,000-ton aggregate reserve at the site.

The proponent said the port would perform four primary functions: process and ship aggregates, act as a contingency export outlet should operations at the Soo Locks be disrupted, accept and reprocess dredged material from the St. Marys River into usable aggregate for concrete and asphalt industries, and operate as a public import/export dock. He told commissioners the design would handle very large vessels and that the Corps of Engineers and port operators had been engaged about dredged-material disposal and reuse. "There's a 2,000,000,000 ton aggregate reserve on the site, and we intend to create 50 jobs when we're at our estimated capacity," the speaker said.

Commissioners asked follow-up questions about multimodal capability and where a letter of support should be directed. The proponent said multimodal and bulk-cargo handling were part of the design and that he had been in contact with port officials; commissioners suggested a draft letter for the county administrator to consider and noted that state-level contacts, including MDOT port infrastructure staff, would be the appropriate recipients. Chairman and other commissioners thanked the proponent for the proposed investment in the county.

Next steps: the county administrator agreed to prepare a draft letter of support for the board to review if commissioners choose to proceed; no formal county funding or permit decision was taken at the meeting.