Gov. Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Gilchrist Join Sanford Community Clean Up  

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist joined a community clean up in Sanford to commemorate the first anniversary of the Midland floods.

“The Sanford community has shown extraordinary strength and grit as they faced a historic flood amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Whitmer. “I am so proud of how the community has pulled together and my administration is committed to aiding their recovery however we can. There is still a lot of work to be done, and we will continue to work together to support those affected by last year’s historic flood as they rebuild their lives.”

“Facing a historic flood would be challenging in ordinary times, but handing the flood during the COVID-19 pandemic truly shows the resiliency of Sanford,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “The Sanford community has gone above and beyond to care for each other over the last year as they rebuild and recover from the flood. Governor Whitmer and I will continue to stand tall for impacted residents.”

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020 heavy rainfall in mid-Michigan led to the breach of the Edenville and Sanford Dams and destroyed public infrastructure, homes, and businesses. Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency on May 19, 2020 for Midland City and Midland County and later expanded the declaration to include additional impacted counties of Arenac, Gladwin, Saginaw, and Iosco. On May 20, 2020 Gov. Whitmer sent a letter to President Trump urging him to approve a federal emergency declaration for Midland County, which was approved on May 21, 2020. Governor Whitmer directed the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to investigate what caused the Edenville Dam and Sanford Dam to fail.