MUSKEGON, MI - Muskegon Lake's potential as an economic powerhouse as well as itsimportance as a natural resource, watersports playground and fixture of housing were highlighted in reports made public Tuesday.

A study funded by Consumers Energy - which owns a soon-to-be-shuttered power plant on Muskegon Lake -- found the Port of Muskegon could be expanded to include a container terminal at an estimated cost of $80 million.

Reduced shipping rates could spur expansion of manufacturing and agribusiness, according to the report.

The expanded port could directly create about 500 jobs -- 68 of them in Muskegon County -- but indirectly support as many as 1,744 in the state of Michigan. The expanded port could directly inject $121 million into the state economy, and have a broader impact of $283 million.

"However, the importance of alternative, reliable, cost-effective transportation options for companies needing to deliver their products to global markets is invaluable to Michigan's prosperity, said Patricia Silverstein, president and chief economist of Denver-based Development Research Partners, which conducted the economic study.

The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission also presented on Muskegon Lake Vision 2020, based on comments gathered at a June 2015 forum.

Seventy-three percent of participants in the forum agreed that sustaining Muskegon Lake as a natural resource is a local responsibility.

Erin Kuhn, executive director of the Regional Commission, said that many residents remember costly cleanup activities that occurred on the lake and many have questions about the detail of any future commercial development.

"It can be done in a sustainable manner, but they want to make sure it will be done in a sustainable manner," Kuhn said.

On the other hand, 98 percent of participants agreed that waterfront commercial and industrial development positively affects the West Michigan economy.

"They want to see the lake reach the potential that it has here," Kuhn said.

Dennis Kirksey is chairman of the Muskegon Lakeshore Watershed Partnership, a public advisory council for Muskegon Lake and its tributaries.

"We don't see ourselves at odds with any of the port development," Kirksey said. "We're just going to help them do it in a green path, if you will."

A fair amount of aggregate material is already shipped through the Port of Muskegon from existing docks.

A startup shipping company, called ECO Ships, also proposes to start shipping containers on the Great Lakes, with Muskegon being one of its major stops. Officials have said shipping operations could start this year. Officials have said in the past that new infrastructure could help container shipping in the port but that shipping could start without it.

Long term, planning around the Port of Muskegon is centered around future uses of the B.C. Cobb energy plant and its surrounding property owned by Consumers Energy. The plant received its last shipment of coal in early November and is set to cease operations by April.

Consumers Energy Public Affairs Community Engagement Manager Dennis Marvin said the company has paid for a series of studies about future growth of the Port and usage of the B.C. Cobb site.

"This year, our focus (is), how these kinds of things can be implemented, and what we can do to support that," Marvin said.

Stephen Kloosterman is a reporter for MLive. Email him at sklooste@mlive.com or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+

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