(AP) -- A Michigan conservation group will take control of 100 acres of wetlands that were the result of a legal settlement between a Midland developer and the federal government. A federal judge in Detroit has approved the selection of the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy, based in Bay City.
In 2008, John Rapanos agreed to construct 100 acres of wetlands and buffer areas in Midland and Arenac counties to make up for 54 acres that were filled in.
In 1994, the government sued Rapanos and accused him of violating the Clean Water Act by filling property with sand. He insisted it had no wetlands or none that had federal jurisdiction.
The civil case was settled nearly two years ago with no admission of wrongdoing by Rapanos.
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