The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is refusing to declare an emergency exists as a result of massive beach erosion along Lake Michigan caused by high water levels and powerful winter storms.
In a letter issued Wednesday, IDHS Executive Director Stephen Cox said the damage to public resources along the shoreline is insufficient to open the spigot of federal disaster funds that typically follows a state emergency declaration.
"To date, we are unaware of any loss of infrastructure (i.e. roads, bridges, public utilities, etc.) which would qualify for public assistance funding from federal or state disaster relief programs," Cox said.
Cox explained IDHS and several other state agencies are regularly monitoring beach erosion along the lake, in conjunction with local, state and federal elected officials as well as federal government agencies.
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He said similar shoreline erosion issues are occurring in Michigan, and that state also has not issued a disaster declaration or sought assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
"We will remain in contact with local and federal officials and agencies about funding and resources available for preventative measures which may provide some short-term relief from the erosion, but also more permanent, long-term mitigation projects," Cox said.
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, who along with state Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City, asked Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb to declare a disaster in Porter and LaPorte counties, said the state's response is woefully inadequate.
She said while "public" infrastructure, such as the Portage lakefront pavilion, has not been lost to the lake — yet — there's an urgent need for state resources to prevent that from happening.
Tallian noted that support beams for porches at lake-adjacent homes in Long Beach already have collapsed, and lake water has seeped past barriers and exposed septic fields in the town, potentially resulting in sewage entering the lake.
In addition, Tallian said the town of Beverly Shores recently spent a "big pile of money" to prevent Lake Front Drive from being washed out, along with nearby water and gas lines.
"Surely we don't have to wait until the road is in the lake before we can ask for assistance," Tallian said.
Local emergencies due to beach erosion have been declared by officials in Porter County, Portage, Ogden Dunes and Beverly Shores.
The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission reacted to the lakeshore situation Thursday by creating a committee to push state and federal authorities for a more helpful response. The commission, which serves as a Council of Governments with members from 46 Northwest Indiana units of government, will stress the urgency of the threat of rising lake levels, as well as the broader regional and national implications.
Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. suggested the regional action.
“In Hammond, there used to be one large beach. Last summer it turned into two beaches because the water was so high … and now we have no beach at all,” he said, noting the problem stretches around Lake Michigan.
“Why don’t we, as a body, put some pressure on the state?” he asked.
Beverly Shores Town Councilman Geof Benson characterized the state and federal response to the local request for assistance as, “It’s a local problem, fix it yourself.”
Other officials discussed the impact on inland communities. Chesterton Town Councilman Jim Ton noted his town’s dependence on the Indiana Dunes as an attraction for visitors.
“Our town is very directly affected commercially,” he said. “If that’s not an attraction," he said of the state and national parks, "we’ve got a lot of businesses that are going to suffer.”
NIRPC Chairman Michael Griffin, clerk-treasurer of Highland, will head the effort to draft a regional argument for emergency assistance.
“It would be remarkable to tell any community to bear that,” he said of beach erosion's impact.
Gallery: Things you might not know about Porter County
20 Things You DIDN'T know about Porter County (or maybe forgot)
8. In the round
The White House, at Jefferson Street and Morgan Avenue in Valparaiso, was an acclaimed restaurant, even attracting celebrities such as Liberace and others, until i closed in 1990s. Long before it was a restaurant, shortly after it was built by the Calkins Family, it was purchased in 1873 by Henry Baker Brown, who was president of what today is known as Valparaiso University. What makes the house, which still stands today, so unique is that all of the rooms are "oval" without corners, paying homage to the Oval Office concept of The White House in Washington D.C.
10. Here and there
Lincoln Highway aka Historic U.S. 30 ranks as the first transcontinental highway. The road's stretches through Porter County represent some of the more interesting "twists and turns" of remapping, when portions were "rerouted" after World War I.
11. Trailing off
The Yellowstone Trail was intended as the first transcontinental automobile highway in the United States through the northern tier of states from Washington through to Massachusetts when it was planned in 1912. Taking its name from the portion which intersected Yellowstone Park, a portion also connected through Porter County, still labeled today as Yellow Stone Road in Valparaiso.
12. Naming names
Valparaiso University has hosted many important and acclaimed speakers on campus throughout the decades, with Sen. Bobby Kennedy and President William Howard Taft ranking near the top noted names.
13. Bad or good?
Frank James, the brother of outlaw Jesse James, did his best to reinvent the family name following his brother's demise. In 1898, he toured the country making personal appearances, including appearing at the Porter County Fairgrounds in Valparaiso to shoot the start gun for the annual fair's horse racing contest.
16. All tied up
Thomas Lambert, who hailed from rural Porter County, officially changed his name as "The Great Lamberti" and became a famed circus contortionist in the 1930s. He even has a brief role in the Marx Brothers' 1938 film "At the Circus."
18. A draining experience
Much of Southern Porter County in the early 1900s was a swampy vast area prized for wildlife and hunting, attracted famous names of the day from throughout the country who came to hunt and trap game, including General Lew Wallace and President Teddy Roosevelt. However, as the need grew for more agriculture, the lands were drained for farmland.
19. On the air
The Valparaiso home of Michael Essany once served as the location for what was billed as "the youngest TV talk show host," netting the youth an international broadcast contract on E! cable network in 2003 for his own reality series "The Michael Essany Show."
20. Something funny
Comedian Jim Gaffigan loves his Porter County connection. He describes himself as "born and raised in Dune Acres, a suburb of Chesterton," and even attended Purdue University for his freshman year before transferring to Georgetown. His high school years were spent at LaLumiere School, the private school in LaPorte, where he graduated in 1984.
— Times staff writer Andrew Steele contributed to this report.
Dan Carden
Chief Political Reporter
Dan has reported on Indiana state government for The Times since 2009. He also covers casinos, campaigns and corruption.
