Michigan Conservation Club Sues Governor Whitmer Over Motorboat Ban

It seems it was only a matter of time before we started seeing some push back.

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) is suing Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the State Director of the Department of Natural Resources over the temporary ban of using motorized boats in the state due to COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders.

The suit claims MUCC requests the court rules Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order “void for vagueness in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Article 1, Section 17 of Michigan’s 1963 Constitution.”

The club, which consists of 40,000 members, is asking that motorboat use is deemed an allowed “outdoor physical activity.” Under the current order, the only acceptable activities on the water involving a watercraft are: kayaking, canoeing and sailing.

MUCC’s attorneys argue that the current ban on motorboats limits fishing, which is a source of food, income and a way to maintain mental health.

Officials with Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources said the banning of motorboats was put in place in an effort to stop people crowding boat ramps and limit travel to and from lakes across the state.

Given the current times, this appears to be a fluid situation. We’ll keep tabs on both of these stories and let you know about any updates when they are announced.

OutdoorHub Editor: Keenan Crow

Keenan Crow is an outdoor writer who graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism and creative writing. He has been writing for OutdoorHub for nearly five years, but anybody he is close with will tell you he has been telling hunting stories for far longer. He uses his experiences outdoors to write about things he loves - bow hunting, fishing, upland hunting, shed hunting, turkey hunting, waterfowl hunting, dog training, shotguns, ATVs and the outdoor lifestyle he lives in his home state of Michigan. Outside of hunting/fishing, he also loves to cook - especially with wild game - play golf and go on hikes with his yellow lab, Stella.