Posted on Sun, Mar 25, 2012 : 2:24 p.m.
Historic Ludington ferry could fall prey to extreme EPA rules
By Letters to the Editor
Regarding "Ludington fears losing historic ferry" (March 11 print edition): It would be sad if environmental extremism caused us to lose one of our state's historical treasures.
Laurel E. Federbush
Ann Arbor
Comments
Dog Guy
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 6:32 p.m.
Thanks, Laurel, for the concise opinion piece; no more need be written. Thanks also to Tom Whitaker for the link to save the Badger. This very important ship and service might get more Ann Arbor respect if it were named "S. S. Wolverine." I certainly would have expected more Ann Arbor support in consideration of it being a ferry.
Tom Whitaker
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 1:19 p.m.
There is an organization working to raise funds to convert the S.S. Badger to run on natural gas. www.sosbadger.com
fjord
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 12:54 p.m.
AnnArbor.com really needs to find a different way to present these letters to the editor. Giving a two-line comment the same space and headline on the home page as any other article is just weird. Also, the link to the original story no longer works, which just makes this one weirder.
DennisP
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 8:41 a.m.
That's fine that there is so much indignation about a ferry. However, it's environmental impact pales in comparison to the overt and irreversible damage to the Lakes from freighter ocean ballast water. Yet, the EPA, the Coast Guard and Congress twiddle their thumbs. It's easy to be tough on the environment by going after a small enterprise. But, when an international industry flexes its muscle, these gallant bureaucrats can come up with all sorts of excuses why they cannot act and just call for more studies. On top of that, the current administration with its Chicago ties refuses to act to block off the impending traverse of the Asian Carp. It's waiting to see when the carp finally breaks through! In other words, the time to act will be after the Lakes are infested when it's too late! I feel so happy to know that coal ash from a single ferry is now under control while quagga and zebra mussels, gobi fish, eels and who knows what else ravage the Lakes and create a new Dead Zone in Lake Erie. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/6159/Default.aspx See just how little is being done at the EPA's own website. It's not even a decent page worth of information. http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/invasive/ True environmentalism is taking on those problems that present the greatest risk. The EPA is a political beast and doesn't care about the greatest good, only the greatest publicity.
Basic Bob
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 2:49 p.m.
Regarding the new Dead Zone in Lake Erie (from the article you cited): "Research has shown that this period of low oxygen in the Central Basin hypolimnion has been recorded for centuries" It is a function of normal biological processes and the depth of the Central Basin. Later in the summer, the fish just swim up a few feet until they get some oxygen, move to shallower water, or migrate to the Eastern Basin.
johnnya2
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 3:25 a.m.
Those darn extremists wanting to be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water. How dare they take away a ferry boat.
bedrog
Sun, Mar 25, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.
unbelievable ( the comment (er))...not the EPA act .
bedrog
Mon, Mar 26, 2012 : 10:38 a.m.
re my cryptic comment: what is "unbelievable" is how extremists really don't care about what they believe in as long as they can be extreme about it. ( In this case a writer with a history of shifting from one extreme to another and missing the balanced middle in the process)..
Bear
Sun, Mar 25, 2012 : 8:18 p.m.
And I suppose Ann Arbor's recycling efforts could also be called "environmental extremism"? Just what do you call "environmental extremism"? I'm curious. Because, as Ross so succinctly pointed out, the dumping of tons of coal ash into Lake Michigan each day is not good stewardship or conservation. You want historic preservation, park the ferry and turn it into a maritime museum. i find this opinion irresponsible in the extreme. i suppose we should still be using coal fired locomotives as well? And perhaps we should ignore the mercury pollution from coal fired power plants until our environment is rife with mercury? They just retired two of the oldest coal fired power plants in the nation, in Chicago. They are happy to be breathing cleaner air. Shame on you for calling this "environmental extremism"! It's opinions like that which have already cost this nation dearly. They have given them plenty of time to convert to a more efficient method of propulsion. If you value this ferry so much, send them your money and encourage others to do so in order to do the same. But don't blame it on environmentalism or call it extreme. It is dirty, inefficient & obsolete. Let it go at that.
a2cents
Sun, Mar 25, 2012 : 10:31 p.m.
There's nothing like the sweet smell of homes heated with coal, also.
Ross
Sun, Mar 25, 2012 : 8:01 p.m.
It's not "extremism" to prevent the dumping of multiple tons of toxic coal ash directly into lake Michigan every single DAY. That boat is an extremely inefficient dinosaur, and it needs to go. Please don't be so afraid of change, we have a lot of things needing improving on this planet.