Welcome to Save Our Shoreline's Home Page

Save Our Shoreline is a non-profit, grass roots organization of property owners and others committed to the preservation of riparian rights along Michigan's 3288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline. We invite you to explore this site to see what we are doing to preserve those rights. We have provided a narrative summary which describes our activities.  Current efforts have focused on preserving ownership to the water's edge, preserving the right to groom Michigan's traditional public and private recreational beaches, and protecting Michigan's public beaches from federal encroachment. SOS depends on its membership dues and donations for continued funding.

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December 2, 2009 U.S. Supreme Court hears oral argument in Florida beach taking case.
Click here to read the transcript.
Click here to read the Amicus Curiae brief filed by Save Our Shoreline.

SOS Leaders Attend Argument in Florida Beach Taking Case.
SOS President Ernie Krygier, Communication Committee Chairman David Almeter, and attorney David Powers flew to Washington, D.C. to attend oral argument at the US Supreme Court in the case of Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc v. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, et al. The case involves the question of who owns the new beach after the government completes a renourishment project.  Click here to read more.

SOS critical of senate republicans' vote to expand MDEQ control over wetlands.
Save Our Shoreline is criticizing a vote of the Michigan Senate approving a bill that would drastically increase MDEQ control over wetlands, including beaches.  Click here to read the press release.

SOS files brief with U.S. Supreme Court in Florida beach taking case.
Save Our Shoreline filed an Amicus Curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court in a case asserting that the State of Florida violated Constitutional protections of private property when it ruled that renourished beaches become state property.  Click here to read the press release.

SOS supports Governor Granholm's proposal to eliminate MDEQ enforcement of the state's Wetland Protection Act.
Save Our Shoreline has enjoyed a more cooperative relationship with the MDEQ over the last three years, and successfully negotiated a general permit for beach grooming in 2007.  Nevertheless, there are overwhelming reasons to eliminate MDEQ enforcement of wetlands under the wetlands protection act.  Click here to read the SOS position statement.

SOS Wins Freedom of Information Act Lawsuit Against University of Michigan' Sea Grant program.
In 2007, the University of Michigan’s Sea Grant program sent its “Along the Shore” information pamphlets to hundreds of shoreline owners around the state.  The slick, colorful pamphlets purported to explain your shoreline ownership rights.  The problem, of course, is that the pamphlet had a bias.  Click here to read more.

MDEQ Issues Beach Grooming General Permit.  Click here for details.

MDEQ Issues Phragmites Control Guide.
(Ignoring beach grooming as a proven and effective control method.)  Click here for details.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources states in A Landowner's Guide for the Control of Phragmites, "Mowing often (6-8 times during the growing season) where feasible is the most widely used method of stressing phragmites and encouraging native plants."  Click here to read the article.

Phragmites Invading Traverse City Beaches
Sheri McWhirter writes about the environmental concerns caused by phragmites.  Her article was published in the Traverse City Record-Eagle on May 2, 2009.  Click here to read the article.

Corps of Engineers Issues Regional Permit for Michigan.  Click here for details.

Harmful Algal Blooms and Muck: What’s the Difference?
Harmful algal blooms and muck can be mistaken for each other simply because people may associate an algal bloom with either type. Click here for details.

SOS Issues April 2009 Newsletter.  Click here to read.