Andrew Howard convicted for diverting Platte River in Michigan
Andrew Howard of Frankfort has been found guilty of tampering and vandalism for diverting a national park river, the Platte River, to improve boat access to Lake Michigan. The incident occurred in August 2022 at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, when a National Park Service ranger witnessed Howard digging with a shovel to divert the river into the Great Lake. The misconduct led to the creation of a new channel to Lake Michigan that grew about 200 feet wide, thereby attracting a significant number of fishermen to the Platte River boat launch. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated that Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and acted independently. The Park Service has discontinued dredging in the Platte River, causing sediment and sand accumulation that hampers boat conveyance to Lake Michigan.
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