ICE STORM – March 2026
ATTENTION VETERANS: Because Alcona County has been declared a disaster area, additional programs and funds have been made available to help veterans deal with financial problems created by the storm. If you have storm damage or are struggling with the high energy bills, I encourage you to call the Alcona County Veterans Affairs Representative, Tony Atkinson, (989) 724-9510 for more information.
Notification and Safety Education Initiative at Dept. of Defense
RE: Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS)
“Due to a large number of munitions response sites (MRS), not every site can be addressed immediately…. Should military munitions remain on these properties, they are most likely below ground surface; however, there is a possibility that some may have become partially or fully exposed. If present, these military munitions may pose an explosive hazard.” “Additional information on the FUDS Program can be found at www.fuds.mil“
Interesting note about the FUD Property in Mikado Township: Not on the NPL (National Priorities List):
The former WBGR property was established by an Air Traffic Control Board letter, dated 2 Jun 1943, and a First Air Force Headquarters letter, dated 17 Dec 1943. These letters requested authority to construct range facilities near the Oscoda Army Air Field for training of one Fighter Reconnaissance Training Unit (RTU) Squadron, which was garrisoned at the Oscoda Army Air Field, and one Medium Bombardment Operational Training Unit (OTU) Group, which was garrisoned at the Selfridge Army Air Base, Michigan. The project consisted of a bombing range and a gunnery range. The property consisted mainly of Federally-owned Department of Interior land in the Huron National Forest, a smaller part of land owned by the State of Michigan in the Au Sable State Forest, and a few parcels of private ownership. No document in the 1943-1944 timeframe by the Department of Interior (DOI) was found granting permission to the War Department to use part of the land in the Huron National Forest as a bombing and gunnery range. However, Department of the Army Lease Number DA-20-064-ENG-1578, dated 7 Sep 1954, documents the lease of 4,040 acres in Alcona and Iosco Counties, which was also previously leased to the War Department during the early 1940’s. This lease covers the portion of property that was owned by the State. As reported in the Final Report of Clearance of Wurtsmith Air Force Base Bombing & Gunnery range, Oscoda, Michigan, dated 4 Jun 1959, the property was cleared of ordnance between 22 and 29 May 1959. At some point after 1959, most of the bombing and gunnery range was phased out, property was disposed of, and leases were cancelled. Several smaller parcels of the property, which were acquired by the War Department between 1943 and 1944, were transferred to the DOI between 1960 and 1962, and are now part of Huron National Forest, Lease Number DA-20-064-ENG-1578 terminated on 20 March 1962. Records indicate that the final disposal action for the property was completed in 1982.
Alcona County Notice of Intent – Materials Management Plan (Recycling)
On June 25, 2024, Alcona County filed its notice of intent to prepare a Materials Management Plan (MMP) and has become the County Approval Agency as required per Part 115, Solid Waste Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act,1994 PA 451, as amended.
Alcona County intends to develop the MMP as a multicounty plan with Alpena County, Iosco County, Montmorency County, and Oscoda County. Alpena County will serve as the Designated Planning Agency.
Please note that all materials management planning committee meetings are open to the public and notices of these meetings will be posted at www.alpenacounty.org and at 720 W Chisholm Street in Alpena.