Volunteers needed for Paddle Fest (updated)

HOUGHTON -- The 1st Annual Portage Paddle Fest will be held with activities beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11, at Kestner Waterfront Park in Houghton. The competitive race starts at 3 p.m., and the fun race is at 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed for registration, assistance on land with the events, and on water during the races. Volunteers will be in kayaks or motorboats for the water events. I'm also looking for another motorboat -- and driver -- to monitor safety on the canal. Volunteers will be needed mainly from 2:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. If you have any interest or would like more information, please contact Angela at 483-1887 or email alucas@portagehealth.org. It's a fun day of events! Thanks!

Angela Lucas
Portage Rehab and Sports Medicine
The Fitness Connection
600 MacInnes Drive Suite 201
Houghton, MI 49931
(906) 483-1887

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DEQ grants preliminary approval to Kennecott sulfide mine application, schedules public hearings

LANSING, MARQUETTE --Despite an internal investigation focused on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ's) mismanagement of the application review process for a proposed sulfide mine under the Yellow Dog Plains and Salmon Trout River, near Marquette, the DEQ announced on July 30, 2007, that it "has resumed its review of the Eagle Project Mine permit application and reinstated its earlier proposed decision to approve a series of permits to the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company." The DEQ calls this decision "only a proposal," noting that public hearings have been scheduled near Marquette at the West Branch Community Center (on old KI Sawyer Air Force Base) in Forsyth Township September 11-13, as well as at the Lansing Center on September 19. The public comment period will remain open through October 17, and written comments can be sent to DEQ/DNR Kennecott Comments, Office of Geological Survey, P.O. Box 30256, Lansing, Michigan 48909-7756, or by e-mail at DEQ-Kennecott-comments@michigan.gov. National Wildlife Federation attorney Michelle Halley said acid mine drainage and the mine's roof caving in are among public concerns that still have not been addressed. "The application is deficient and the operation would undeniably cause pollution," Halley said. Read more in the July 31, 2007, Mining Journal article, "Mine backers, foes get set for hearings." Visit Save the Wild UP for more information on this update.
Photo: A fall 2006 view of the Salmon Trout River, which flows through an area proposed for Kennecott Minerals' Eagle Project sulfide mine. The river contains a rare population of Coaster Brook Trout. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2007 and courtesy lexup at Save the Wild UP. Reprinted with permission.)

Photo Contest deadline extended to Aug. 31

HANCOCK -- Keweenaw Now is extending the deadline and broadening categories for our Lake Superior Photo Contest through Aug. 31, 2007. Send us your favorite photo of Lake Superior or a related body of water, beach, etc., in the Lake Superior basin. Categories include landscape (the beauty of the lake), wildlife (if you can catch them) or responsible action / education (e.g., doing something to leave the beach cleaner than you found it, learning /teaching about lake ecology, etc.) We will accept photos of or near the lake taken any time this summer -- between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2007. Winners will be posted on this new blog. See previous post for contest rules.

P.S.: If you have a short community announcement, post it as a comment on the blog!

Photo: Limnologist Judith Budd tests the lake level at a point near Copper Harbor for participants in the Reading the Landscape Shorelands program on June 30, 2007, aboard the Isle Royale Queen IV. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu)