Hike wilderness trail with Save the Wild U.P., The Nature Conservancy May 7; EPA meeting on L'Anse Warden Plant; forums on Back 40 project

From Save the Wild U.P.

MARQUETTE -- A special collaborative event between The Nature Conservancy and Save the Wild U.P. will be held on Saturday, May 7. Enjoy a guided hike of the Elliott Donnelly Wilderness Trail, one of the wild gems of Marquette County.

The Donnelley Tract was purchased by Elliott Donnelley and gifted to the State on behalf of Trout Unlimited. The purpose of this gift was to protect the Little Garlic River and its watershed for the trout fishery it provides. The special guide for this hike is Mac Strand, Northern Michigan professor of biology, who will help participants appreciate the "river flowing under the river," groundwater interactions, and the key importance of unnamed tributaries to health of the Little Garlic River. Jeff Knoop of The Nature Conservancy will also be along to discuss TNC’s work to protect this area. Meet-up is at 12:30 p.m. at the Little Garlic Trailhead off CR-550. There is a $10 fee to participate, with all proceeds benefiting the work of Save the Wild U.P.

Thanks to those who participated in the recent Earth Day "Cleaning Up after Sulfide Mining" event -- a great success!

"We removed four bags of trash and seven bags of recyclables from the AAA road," said SWUP Executive Director Alexandra Maxwell. "Even small events like this make a big difference, and seeing individuals do their part is incredibly inspiring -- stay tuned as we plan to offer more clean-ups down the road!"

More upcoming events

What’s happening with the L'Anse Warden Plant?

As you may know, the L’Anse Warden Electric Plant has been spewing toxic chemicals into the air and water in L’Anse. Concerned citizens and grassroots efforts from the Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK) have resulted in renewed scrutiny over the plant's Clean Air Act violations.*

The USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) will be holding a meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, May 9, in the L’Anse Area Schools Cafetorium, 201 N. 4th St. in L'Anse.

1. USEPA will give a summary update on Warden’s violations and non-compliance points.
2. USEPA will listen to public comments and concerns. Written comments will also be accepted.

PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN, RESIDENTS, AND ENVIRONMENT.

Forums on Back Forty Sulfide Mining Project

Friends and collaborators from the Menominee Tribe, Front 40 and Wisconsin Resources Protection Council will be holding a series of informational forums on the Aquila Resources Back Forty Project. The Save the Menominee River speaking tour kicks off at 6:30 p.m. (Central Daylight Time) on May 9 at University of Wisconsin Marinette. The May 17 forum will be held at the Menominee VFW Hall at 6:30 p.m. CDT, and the final forum will be held at 10 a.m. on May 25 CDT at the Stephenson Annex. See more details on menomineeriver.com. **

Editor's Notes:

* Click here for the EPA Web site with recent info on the L'Anse Warden Plant. Both Save the Wild U.P. and FOLK members held a press conference on Apr. 25 concerning the L'Anse Warden Plant. Click here for the TV-6 report.

** See Save the Wild U.P.'s March 9, 2016, article, "'Red-Flag Review' Reveals Flaws in Sulfide Mine Application."