SS Badger still waiting on word from Department of Justice about consent decree with

[News]

LMC has proposed a schedule of work to meet the proposed settlement. The Department of Justice has made no comment about progress toward a resolution.

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[FishingandHuntingUSA]

We were just there last night, my wife was taking pictures of it when it was coming in. That would be terrible to loose it but I can see the point of making it more efficient and lake friendly

[fishy1]

I don't believe most people have a issue with the Badger its just the 500-700 pounds of ash it is dumping in the lake every year.In this day and age it is inexcusable to use Lake Michigan as thier own dump.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Think of this for just a moment: in the old old days most ships on the great lakes were all steam ships powered with coal fired boilers. Their ash too was dumped overboard as waste, but never affected the integrity of the clean water. Had this been true then, we would now have a very contaminated group of great lakes, totally unfit to swim or boat in. Is that the case? No, it's not. Even cigarette companies in the 60's advertised that charcoal filtered cigs. were not as toxic to ingest. This ash actually helps purify the water, not contaminate it. It's another EPA ploy to interrupt free enterprise for the sake of an agenda. The Badger will be storing the ash in the future in bulkheads, and unload it for upland dumping in Wisconsin from what is being said now. Is this a safer way to dispose of the ash? And with this added expense to the operation, whom do you think will pay for it? The consumers that sail on her will, with higher ticket prices for passage.

[SeaCatMich]

I don't believe most people have a issue with the Badger its just the 500-700 pounds of ash it is dumping in the lake every year.In this day and age it is inexcusable to use Lake Michigan as thier own dump.

The ash dumping in the lake is not the only issue. When I kept my boat in the Cross Winds marina across Pere Marquette Lake from the Badger. My parents had a retirement home a couple of miles north of town. The coal dust coming out of the Badger's stacks put a coating on the boat and house any day the wind was blowing from offshore. Sorry, but I and many others with boats there and at other marinas and home owners in the area really detest this pollution. Not only does the black/gray dust make a boat/house/car look terrible, it is very fine and consequently very difficult to get clean -- especially in no skid decks and small crevices.

If you want to experience it yourself, go find a burned out campfire or fireplace and sprinkle the ashes on your boat or car. Wait a few hours and then try to get it clean.

It is a nice novelty for Ludington to have the quaint old time ferry and it is a giant tourist attraction for the town. I'm sure it is the same thing on the Wisconsin side. I too have had many a friend oooh and aaah at it when it is coming in. The new technology high speed ferry that now runs out of Muskegon gets a similar reaction but mainly for its speed. Because of the economic impact of the Badger (employment, tourist interest, taxes...) you will not find many of the locals willing to speak out against it in public... but they are not a fan of the coal dust and I think would welcome a modernization of the vessel's power plant.

Cleaning up the dust is the main issue for people. I have to imagine it isn't doing a lot of good for the plant and animal wildlife in the area either.

[fishy1]

The ash dumping in the lake is not the only issue. When I kept my boat in the Cross Winds marina across Pere Marquette Lake from the Badger. My parents had a retirement home a couple of miles north of town. The coal dust coming out of the Badger's stacks put a coating on the boat and house any day the wind was blowing from offshore. Sorry, but I and many others with boats there and at other marinas and home owners in the area really detest this pollution. Not only does the black/gray dust make a boat/house/car look terrible, it is very fine and consequently very difficult to get clean -- especially in no skid decks and small crevices.

If you want to experience it yourself, go find a burned out campfire or fireplace and sprinkle the ashes on your boat or car. Wait a few hours and then try to get it clean.

It is a nice novelty for Ludington to have the quaint old time ferry and it is a giant tourist attraction for the town. I'm sure it is the same thing on the Wisconsin side. I too have had many a friend oooh and aaah at it when it is coming in. The new technology high speed ferry that now runs out of Muskegon gets a similar reaction but mainly for its speed. Because of the economic impact of the Badger (employment, tourist interest, taxes...) you will not find many of the locals willing to speak out against it in public... but they are not a fan of the coal dust and I think would welcome a modernization of the vessel's power plant.

Cleaning up the dust is the main issue for people. I have to imagine it isn't doing a lot of good for the plant and animal wildlife in the area either.

X2 I have never understood how people feel that a business has the right to destroy my personal property and not be accountable for damaging it.

[FishingandHuntingUSA]

Let the Badger pay for cleaning the boats, cars and houses and see how quick they change. Down by us in Alabama when BP had that tragic oil spill they had to pay billions for clean up and it has been a few years now and there is still plenty of cleaning needed. There in no reason for it and they should clean up their act

[danthebuilder]

Think of this for just a moment: in the old old days most ships on the great lakes were all steam ships powered with coal fired boilers. Their ash too was dumped overboard as waste, but never affected the integrity of the clean water. Had this been true then, we would now have a very contaminated group of great lakes, totally unfit to swim or boat in. Is that the case? No, it's not. Even cigarette companies in the 60's advertised that charcoal filtered cigs. were not as toxic to ingest. This ash actually helps purify the water, not contaminate it. It's another EPA ploy to interrupt free enterprise for the sake of an agenda. The Badger will be storing the ash in the future in bulkheads, and unload it for upland dumping in Wisconsin from what is being said now. Is this a safer way to dispose of the ash? And with this added expense to the operation, whom do you think will pay for it? The consumers that sail on her will, with higher ticket prices for passage.

If these are the people you get your facts from. Its no wonder you feel the way you do.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Mr. Bob Manglitz is the CEO/Owner of the (LMC), Lake Michigan Carferry system. If anyone has complaints about their homes or boats being damaged, his office door is open to correct it, always has been. He will refer you to his specialist that addresses these issues from time to time, and always has cooperated. When outsiders come here in Ludington to complain about pollution, please take a look at the other industries here that also pollute. Note the old Dow Chemical Co., that had a large smoke stack that poured smoke into the fourth ward area for over 60 years. Then there is the Great Lakes Castings Corp., a foundry. These two companies alone made more offensive pollution per year than any carferry could in a lifetime. They also pay large penalty fines for such behavior, which more times than not, is unavoidable due to the type of work involved. The carferry operation has about 100 seasonal/year-around employees. It also contributes about $25Million into the local economy with tourism, both of which if altered or discontinued, would devastate the local economy into the far future. Being careful to weigh all the options of where trade-offs need to come is tricky for both private industry and public safety. Instead of finger-pointing, some here may wish to take a voyage on her, see for yourself, then judge from a more personal perspective. And please do drop your comments in the suggestion box. Meanwhile, the operation will continue to correct it's behavior regarding ash as best it can, and continue to be a large asset to this small population of only 6,000 people.