Federal wetland protection rollbacks threaten Michigan with $4.77 billion in annual flood damage as climate change amplifies risks, a report warns.
Kyle Davidson reports for Michigan Advance.
In short:
- Michigan's 6.4 million acres of wetlands reduce flooding, but weakened Clean Water Act protections leave them vulnerable to pollution and destruction.
- The loss of wetlands exacerbates flooding in under-resourced communities and could cost Michigan billions in flood damage annually.
- Restoring wetland protections and funding sustainable farming through federal programs like the farm bill could mitigate flood risks and carbon emissions.
Key quote:
“Even if it’s not your home that gets flooded after a nearby wetland was destroyed, as a taxpayer, you help fund the National Flood Insurance Program, which covers about five million people.”
— Stacy Woods, research director for the Union’s Food and Environment Program and author of the report
Why this matters:
Wetlands play a critical role in flood prevention, carbon storage and biodiversity. Their destruction risks public safety, worsens climate impacts, and disproportionately harms marginalized communities. Strengthening conservation policies could protect both ecosystems and communities from escalating flood and environmental costs.
