Mlive.com, April 7, 2019
By Brian McVicar
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A push to dredge part of a 23-mile stretch of the Grand River between Eastmanville Township and Grand Rapids is drawing scrutiny in Ottawa County, with some residents and elected officials questioning the project’s environmental impact and maintenance costs.
The project is being led by Dan Hibma, a West Michigan developer and husband of former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. He wants to make the Grand River accessible to power boaters looking to travel from Grand Rapids to Lake Michigan, a move that supporters say will boost tourism and could eventually generate an estimated annual economic impact of up to $5.7 million.