Great Lakes Wire

LANSING – The owner of a twice-sunken Lake Michigan barge, Donald Lewis Balcom, 89, of Traverse City, has pleaded guilty to one count of Water Resources Protection Violation for Discharge of Injurious Substances to Waters of the State, a two-year felony, as announced by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. The guilty plea stems from the barge releasing oil into Lake Michigan when it first sunk in November 2020.

Sentencing has been deferred, giving Balcom a 12-month window to relocate the barge to a permanent, legal location. Attorney General Nessel stated that if Balcom successfully moves the barge, the felony conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor. Additionally, Nessel intends to request a sentence that includes reimbursement to the state for any costs incurred in dealing with the barge.

The barge currently sits partly on state-owned Lake Michigan bottomlands and partly on private land, after being brought ashore last year following seven criminal charges filed against Balcom in June. Efforts by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy have been ongoing to address the sunken barge and contamination of Grand Traverse Bay on Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel emphasized the importance of holding individuals accountable for environmental offenses, stating, "I relaunched the environmental crimes unit in my office to prosecute egregious offenses against our State’s natural resources, and I am pleased to announce this conviction." Nessel also reiterated the necessity of relocating the barge to a legal site to avoid further legal consequences.

"We have made it abundantly clear he cannot treat the bay as his own personal junkyard, and if he does not resolve the issue, the State will," added Nessel, highlighting the State's commitment to protecting the Great Lakes from environmental threats.

The resolution of this long-standing issue remains a priority for the Michigan Attorney General's office as they continue to work towards safeguarding the natural resources of the Great Lakes region.