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Governor Whitmer to begin dam investigations

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Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered a state investigation into why two privately owned dams failed last week in Midland County, contributing to record flooding.

After the Edenville and Sanford dams failed, thousands were forced to evacuate and many towns along the Tittabawassee River suffered extensive damage.

Governor Whitmer says people in Midland County deserve answers..

“They deserve to know why these dams failed...why they’ve been uprooted.”

But the agency Whitmer is directing to conduct the investigation has been named in a lawsuit tied to one of the dam failures.

Whitmer insists the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy is best qualified to investigate the causes of the failures and make recommendations to improve dam safety in Michigan. 

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005.