Indiana declines to declare state of emergency at Lake Michigan beaches

LA PORTE, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is declining to declare a state of emergency for counties along Lake Michigan.

The shoreline is heavily eroded by high water levels and storms, with many counties in Michigan already declaring states of emergency.

The agency said that the shoreline in Porter and La Porte counties is not severe enough for the state to request assistance from federal disaster funds.

Local officials in Portage and nearby areas have declared local erosion emergencies despite the lack of a response from Indiana.

Officials have argued that without assistance, inevitable damage cannot be prevented along the shoreline.

On Thursday, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission created a committee to demand more help from the state and federal authorities.