An Uncertain Future for Michigan Wolves

By Nicholas Wilson*

The Gray Wolf, recently removed from the Endangered Species List, is now in danger of a potential wolf hunting and trapping season in Michigan. (Photo © Wolf Conservation Center, Salem, NY, and courtesy Nancy Warren)

On January 4, 2021, the Gray Wolf was officially removed from the Endangered Species List. Delisting eliminated the federal protections provided to wolves by the Endangered Species Act and returned management authority to the states. Now, Michigan is considering a wolf hunt.

State Senators Ed McBroom and Jon Bumstead introduced a non-binding resolution to the Michigan Senate (Senate Resolution 15) urging the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to authorize, and the DNR to organize, a wolf hunting and trapping season in 2021. The NRC Consists of seven members appointed by the Governor, and has "exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game and sportfish, and is authorized to designate game species and authorize the establishment of the first open season for animals through the issuance of orders."

On March 9, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 15 (SR15), bringing Michigan one step closer to a wolf hunt. Following this adoption, the Michigan DNR reiterated its position on wolf hunting and trapping. The DNR affirmed that before considering a wolf hunt Michigan’s Wolf Management Plan should be updated, a new wolf public attitude survey should be conducted, and Native American tribes should be consulted.

Wolfwatchers' Nancy Warren dispels myths about wolves

On February 25, the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) held a virtual event featuring Nancy Warren, Executive Director of the National Wolfwatcher Coalition (NWC). Warren’s presentation -- titled "The Big Bad Wolf; Or is it?" -- provided scientific information on the Gray Wolf and discussed the consequences of delisting and the potential for a 2021 Michigan wolf hunt. After sharing background information on wolf physiology, behavior, and identification, Warren addressed several common myths about wolves.

Nancy Warren's slide presentation for UPEC questions myths about wolves and presents scientific facts. (Photo © and courtesy Nancy Warren)

The first of these myths is that wolves are dangerous to people. Warren explained that, despite frequent media portrayals of wolves as aggressive and violent, in reality the majority of animal-related human fatalities are caused by livestock, dogs, insects and deer rather than wolves. Human hunters are actually far more dangerous to people than wolves are.

This slide illustrates Warren's explanation of why wolves are mostly afraid of people. (Photo © and courtesy Nancy Warren)

"100 people are killed annually in the country by hunters," Warren said. "We’ve had two fatal attacks by wolves in all of North America in the last century and none in the continental United States." Inset photo: Nancy Warren. (Keweenaw Now file photo by Allan Baker)

Many people also believe that wolves are a great risk to livestock and domestic animals. But again, the data says otherwise. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, the total number of cattle taken by wolves in the UP was 6, 5, and 6 respectively.

"The risk to livestock is extremely low especially when compared to other losses experienced by producers such as weather and medical issues," Warren explained.

In this slide Warren notes how humans can take responsibility to keep wolves at a distance and respect their habitat. (Photo © and courtesy Nancy Warren)

Additionally, Michigan law guarantees that the State will compensate farmers for missing livestock if the farmer has any prior verified wolf depredation.

Another common misconception is that wolves are overpopulated in the Upper Peninsula and the Midwest. Warren presented DNR data on wolf populations in Michigan and Wisconsin from 1980-present. This data indicates that there are between 1018 and 1041 wolves in Wisconsin, and about 700 wolves in Michigan (found almost exclusively in the UP). Warren explained that the Michigan wolf population has remained stable for the past 10 years.

She also dispelled the myth that wolves are devastating the UP deer herds.

"Even though our number of wolves has gone up, the number of deer killed is staying pretty consistent. It’s weather not wolves that has the greatest impact on deer populations," Warren said. "I believe, and the statistics show, and the science shows, that there are enough deer on the landscape for both wolves and human hunters." 

Warren cited statistics to show that UP deer herds are not being devastated by wolves. (Photo © and courtesy Nancy Warren)

Despite their often-negative public perception, wolves play an important ecological role. Wolves manage the beaver population (their second favorite food), and strengthen the deer herd by eliminating the weak, sick, and injured. In doing so, wolves may also help to prevent diseases like CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) and EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease) from establishing in the UP deer population. By keeping deer herds moving, wolves also create better habitat for plants and animals of all kinds.

Warren shows in this slide how wolves actually strengthen the health of the deer herd. (Photo © and courtesy Nancy Warren)

"They alter the deer movements -- which allows forest and habitat regeneration simply because the deer spend less time in one place," said Warren. "It creates a rippling effect throughout animal and plant communities."

Wolves can also provide an economic benefit to the areas that they inhabit.

"In Minnesota, the International Wolf Sanctuary adds about $3 million to the local economy and created the equivalent of 66 full-time-jobs," Warren noted.

Ojibwe cultural views of the wolf

In addition to ecological and economic value, wolves have great cultural significance to the Ojibwe people. Dr. Jonathan Gilbert, Director of the Biological Services Division at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), explained the importance of wolves in Ojibwe culture.

"The Ojibwe people think about Ma’iingan, the wolf, as a brother or sister. Their stories say that whatever happens to one of them will happen to the other," Gilbert said.

"When we think about wolves and wolf management in our modern-day view, we talk about population goals or objectives. We talk about potential for harvest seasons. That’s our western science way of looking at it," Gilbert continued. "But when you put that into the cultural context of the tribes, you start to think: what should your population goal be for your brothers and sisters, for your family? What should your harvest quota be for your relatives? How many of your relatives should we kill?"

The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community recently issued a Resolution opposing Senate Resolution 15 and calling for consultation with tribes according to the 2002 Government-to-Government Accord. The Resolution states, in part, the following:

WHEREAS: The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community believes the gray wolf is not an appropriate species to harvest for subsistence purposes, its numbers cannot withstand a rapid depletion by recreational hunting and trapping without danger of being relisted as threatened or endangered, and depleting numbers of wolves will upset the ecological balance between predator and prey; and ...

WHEREAS: The 2002 Government-to-Government Accord gives Michigan and the twelve Federally Recognized Indian Tribes the right to consultation, which provides the opportunity for tribes to provide input and recommendations on proposed actions to governmental officials responsible for the final decision, and also provides the right to be advised of the rejections (and basis for any such rejections) of such recommendations, and the state of Michigan has yet to provide the tribes the chance for meaningful consultation regarding issues surrounding a 2021 gray wolf hunt; and

WHEREAS: Michigan law already contains adequate means to address and remediate depredation and conflict involving gray wolves; and

WHEREAS: Ma'iingan, the wolf, is our brother. We believe our lives are parallel to one another, a shared destiny, as the wolf and the Ojibwe people have suffered the same fates. What shall happen to one of us shall also happen to the other. Each of us will be feared, respected and misunderstood by the people that later joined the Earth. History has proven that both Ma'iingan and the Ojibwe have lost our lands; we both have been persecuted and pushed close to destruction and hunted for our hair.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Council formally states their opposition to Michigan Senate Resolution No. 15 and any change in the laws of the State of Michigan by which a 2021 wolf hunting and/or trapping season is allowed.**

Wisconsin wolf hunt: "outright slaughter"

In neighboring Wisconsin, a 2021 wolf hunt already occurred. Unlike Michigan, Wisconsin has a law that mandated that a wolf hunt be conducted as soon as the species was delisted. Despite objections from Native American groups, widespread opposition from the public (a majority of public comments submitted to the Wisconsin Natural resources board opposed the hunt), and legal challenges, Wisconsin approved the hunt after the group Hunter Nation won a legal battle that effectively forced the state to do so. On February 22, the Wisconsin wolf hunt began.

Wisconsin’s DNR set a quota of 119 wolves for the weeklong hunt, but ended the hunt early after 216 wolves -- about 20 percent of the state’s total wolf population -- were killed in just 3 days.

"It was an outright slaughter," said Warren. "Every zone was exceeded. 119 was the quota and they went over it by almost 100 wolves."

Notably, the Wisconsin hunt occurred during the wolf breeding season.

"As a biologist, I would never advocate for having a wolf season during the breeding season. That just doesn’t make any sense," said Gilbert. "They arbitrarily put a hunting season into place. The science was definitely not followed and they did not honor their obligations to talk with the tribes."

Gilbert noted GLIFWC members reported at a recent meeting that half the wolves killed in the Wisconsin hunt were female.

"They were talking about mothers and babies being killed," he added.

SR15 would allow 2021 Michigan wolf hunt

With delisting and the introduction of SR15, Michigan now may implement its own wolf hunt. The Michigan DNR Wolf Management Plan stipulates that hunting and trapping can be used  "as a management tool for addressing conflicts that cannot otherwise be resolved" and recommends "evaluating local situations on a case-by-case basis, and then applying the assistance of hunters and trappers, as prudent to reduce wolf-related risks to acceptable levels."

"If a problem on a farm can’t be resolved in any other way, then we could use hunters on a case by case basis," Warren clarified. "But it wasn’t quite applied that way when we had our only wolf hunt."

In 2013, wolves were temporarily delisted and Michigan held a 45-day wolf hunt during which 23 wolves were killed in the Upper Peninsula. 

"One (wolf) was killed within 5 miles of a farm that last had a depredation in 2011. Three were killed 5 miles from a farm that last had a depredation in 2012," Warren explained. "When there is a depredation it needs to be addressed timely. Killing an animal 5 months after the event is not going to resolve that farmer’s problem."

Although the 2013 hunt was initiated largely because farmers alleged that wolves were killing their livestock, many of the reported wolf depredations were questionable. One farmer, John Koski, accounted for 96 of the total 147 livestock losses that were used to justify the wolf hunt. But later investigations revealed that Koski failed to utilize good animal husbandry practices and did not properly dispose of animal carcasses. Multiple unburied cow carcasses as well as deer limbs were found on Koski’s farms. Koski received thousands of taxpayer dollars and over 2,500 hours of DNR support to help avert wolf attacks. In 2014, Koski was charged with animal cruelty for starving three guard donkeys that were provided to him by the DNR to deter wolf attacks.

Senate Resolution 15 also frames the potential 2021 hunt as a population management tool, saying, "A managed wolf hunt in the state is a viable means of ensuring stable wolf population numbers." But this claim, and several others in the resolution, are not based on science.

Dr. Rolf Peterson, Michigan Tech Research Professor and the principaldic investigator of wolf-moose relations on Isle Royale National Park for 50 years, responded to some of the claims made in SR15.

"Wolf numbers in Michigan have been stable for the past decade, in the absence of significant managed wolf hunts (with the exception of one year)," Peterson said. "It is likely that a managed wolf hunt would actually reduce stability by affecting wolf density, age structure, territorial relationships, and reproductive rate."

SR15 states, "Wolf hunting allows the wolf population to be kept at levels that ensure the overall survival of the animal but limit potential wolf and human conflicts."

Peterson disagreed, saying, "It is contrary to logic that wolf hunting will ensure…survival of the wolf. The 2015 Wolf Management Plan stipulates that the basis for a wolf harvest should be to reduce conflict. There is no indication that that goal was achieved by the one legal hunt held in Michigan several years ago."

SR15 also suggests that there is no need for a statewide public attitude survey or study before initiating a hunt.

Peterson replied, "Worldwide, public attitudes about wolves are one of the most polarizing issues in wildlife management. The stated intent of the Department of Natural Resources is to assess current public attitudes about wolves, which would be an obviously prudent next step. There is no wolf population crisis or pressing human need that would argue toward anything but an informed, measured process."

Dr. Peterson also recommended that interested individuals read the principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which is frequently used by states in making wildlife management decisions. Inset photo: Dr. Rolf Peterson (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK) recently noted in their Spring 2021 Newsletter that they signed a Resolution in Opposition to a Michigan Wolf Hunting/Trapping Season, presented by Nancy Warren to the Michigan DNR and Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in February. FOLK's Annual General Membership Meeting will be held via Zoom from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 15, with the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota. The program will be "How to live with Wolves."***

At the March 11 meeting of the Michigan Natural Resource Commission (NRC), the commissioners listened to almost two hours of public comment regarding wolf hunting and management. Many of the comments came from hunters and trappers in support of a wolf hunt. These proponents cited a variety reasons for an imminent hunt. Several commenters claimed that wolves are overpopulated, that they are detrimental to the deer herds, that human-wolf conflicts are increasing in Michigan, and that an imminent hunt is necessary to preserve a healthy ecological balance. These claims are not supported by data or scientific studies.

Several commenters voiced opposition to the wolf hunt, noting the positive ecological and economic impacts of wolf populations. Some commenters also advocated for collecting more data and public input before implementing a hunt.

Jeffrey Towner, a resident of Negaunee Township and a wildlife biologist, who served as field supervisor for the North Dakota U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service field office from 2002 to 2014, objected to Senate Resolution 15 calling for a wolf management plan but also calling for a wolf hunt before that plan can be completed and without allowing public input from the people of Michigan.

"There is no credible scientific study I am aware of that indicates a wolf hunt is necessary to the effective management of the gray wolf population of Michigan. Wolves are a keystone species in an ecosystem that serves to improve the fitness of prey populations such as white-tailed deer," Towner said. "Also human-wolf conflicts are extremely rare."

Towner noted DNR Director Daniel Eichinger has said a revised wolf management plan should be completed by June of 2022.

"That is a responsible timeline. There should be no rush to judgment on a wolf hunt," Towner said. "The DNR should be encouraged to carry out their work, including data collection, analysis, public input and informed management decisions."

During the same March 11 NRC meeting, Molly Tamulevich, Michigan State Director of The Humane Society of the United States, also expressed opposition to wolf hunting and trapping as well as her concerns about the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) being selected to represent conservation groups on the Wolf Management Advisory Commission.

Commenting on the recent wolf hunt in Wisconsin, Tamulevich said, "Michigan truly cannot afford to become the next Wisconsin. Following the delisting decision, our DNR stated that before a hunt would even be considered, 'the legal status of wolves should be more permanently settled,' and the agency plans to update the state’s 2015 wolf management plan, hold a public opinion survey and consult with tribal nations. Michigan must hold true to those commitments of transparency, public input, and consulting sound science."

Tamulevich added, "Allowing wolf hunting and trapping at any level has dire consequences like destroying pack structure and leaving yearling pups to starve."

As for the MUCC, Tamulevich pointed out that they really do not represent conservation groups, since most of their member organizations are hunters and anglers.

"Their website specifically states that they are, 'the foremost power in Michigan protecting the rights to hunt, fish and trap,'" she noted. "There is no reason why this wolf advisory committee should be so disproportionately represented by an organization that has repeatedly stated that its objective is to override the clear mandate of Michigan voters and open a wolf hunting and trapping season in our state."

Warren shared her own comments with NRC committee members, noting there is no scientific basis or need for hunting and trapping wolves in Michigan: "The Michigan DNR has made it clear that before a wolf hunting season will take place, they want to update the Wolf Management Plan using the best available science, conduct a public attitude survey (even though Michigan voters, by an overwhelming majority, said no to a wolf hunt) and consult with the tribes. This resolution (SR15) circumvents the DNR’s planned actions and contradicts the current wolf management plan. There is no scientific need for a wolf hunt. Livestock losses have been extremely low. The population has remained steady for the past 10 years and weather, not wolves, has the greatest impact on deer survival."

Like Tamulevich, Warren also expressed her concerns about the imbalance of representation on the Wolf Management Advisory Commission, since not one wolf organization is represented -- although they were in the past -- and MUCC is essentially a pro-hunting organization.

The members appointed to the present Commission are the following:

Dick Pershinske -- Farm Bureau
Bee Friedlander -- Attorneys for Animals
Miles Falik -- GLIFWC
Amy Trotter -- MUCC
Mike Thorman -- Hunting Dog Federation
Dan Kennedy -- DNR

Warren concluded her UPEC presentation saying, "We need science-based management decisions, not management through legislation based on fear and misinformation."****

Editor's Notes:

* Keweenaw Now guest writer Nicholas Wilson is a Keweenaw resident and free-lance journalist.

** For the full text of the KBIC Resolution, see the Anishinaabek Caucus Facebook page post by Andrea Pierce.

*** Watch for a future announcement on how to access the April 15 FOLK meeting.

**** Click here for a video recording of Nancy Warren's UPEC presentation.

Concerned citizens opposed to SR15 are encouraged to contact State Senator Ed McBroom by phone at (517) 373-7840 or by email via his Web site.

Local COVID-19 vaccination eligibility expanded as vaccine supply stabilizes

HANCOCK -- Providers across the western Upper Peninsula are expanding the number of groups eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The expansion is made possible by a more stable and slightly increased weekly vaccine supply to the area.

"We are currently vaccinating people age 65 and older, those age 50 and older with underlying health conditions, and caregivers of children with special health care needs," said Kate Beer, Health Officer for the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD). "Providers across the district are seeing their waitlists shrink. We are hopeful that we will be able follow the state plan and begin vaccinating people age 50 and over beginning March 22 and those age 16 to 49 by April 5."

WUPHD has piloted a plan to provide mobile vaccinations to those who have difficulty obtaining transportation or are homebound across the five-county district. The Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine will be used for this purpose. The project is expected to take several weeks, with any remaining doses being released to the public only after its completion. Additional doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are not expected until late April.

Residents can visit coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine to locate a provider in their area. Those without computer access should call 211 or their healthcare provider for assistance in scheduling an appointment.

For more information on COVID-19 please visit wuphd.org, michigan.gov/coronavirus, or cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Michigan expanding COVID-19 Vaccine access to Michiganders ages 16 and older with medical conditions, disabilities starting March 22

This image shows the provisional schedule for vaccination priorities in Michigan. Click on image for larger version. (Image courtesy michigan.gov)

LANSING -- To continue progress toward state’s goal of vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders over age 16 and bringing a quicker end to the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials today announced the state is expanding vaccination eligibility for Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome beginning Monday, March 22.

The state is also announcing that beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine. 

With the expanded vaccine eligibility, providers are still encouraged to schedule appointments and allocate vaccinations to residents based on highest risk, including older residents, essential workers, and frontline workers. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidelines can be found on Michigan’s COVID-19 website. 

"The safe COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect you, your family and others from the virus," said Governor Whitmer. "It will help the country get back to normal and help the economy. Nearly one million Michiganders of all races have already been safely vaccinated. I urge all eligible Michiganders to get one of the three COVID-19 vaccines. It is essential to getting our country back to normal, so that we can all hug our families, get back to work, go to restaurants, send our kids to school, play sports and get together again. And as always: mask up, practice safe social distancing and avoid large indoor gatherings where COVID-19 can easily spread from person to person. We will eliminate this virus together."

This is in addition to a recent announcement that MDHHS was moving forward with vaccination of Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs as of Monday, March 8. Also beginning Monday, March 22, vaccine eligibility is expanding to include all Michiganders 50 and older.

According to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, "Over 2.7 million doses of the safe and effective COVID vaccines have been administered in Michigan, and we are well on our way to vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders age 16 and up."

Even with the increase of COVID-19 vaccinations, Khaldun urges everyone to continue to practice preventative measures such as properly wearing masks, social distancing and frequent handwashing to reduce the spread of the virus until the vast majority of people have been vaccinated.
   
Visit coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine to learn what vaccine is available, hear about the benefits of the vaccine, learn who is currently eligible and learn how you can sign up to get on a waiting list. Anyone who is eligible is urged to make a call as waiting lists are much shorter than they were when the vaccine immediately became available.

KORC: Community Action for Permanent Public Land

By Nicholas Wilson*
With photos by guest photographers

Mountain biker Ben Ciavola rides the "On The Edge" trail along the Brockway Mountain ridge. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © and courtesy Nathan Miller)

The Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (or KORC for short) has attracted public interest from Keweenaw residents and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds. You may have received a KORC letter in the mail, seen social media content on Facebook or Twitter, or heard about the group’s work at High Rock Bay and Schlatter Lake. So, what is this organization all about?

KORC was founded in 2019 when a coalition of community organizations, local businesses, outdoor recreation interests, and Keweenaw residents came together to pursue a common goal: securing permanent public access to at-risk land in Keweenaw County.

With over 600 members and more than 15 different organizations represented on its steering committee, KORC has united a wide variety of recreation interests and Keweenaw institutions.

"We all decided to get together and develop a coalition to provide for all types of outdoor recreation, where all of the different voices are represented," said Gina Nicholas, a member of KORC’s Steering Committee. "We are working together to keep the land base intact for everyone, so that whether you’re a berry picker or an ATV rider, you have a place to go." Inset photos: At left, a midsummer snack of bilberries along the Copper Harbor Trails. (Photo © and courtesy Devin Leonarduzzi) At right, ORV riders enjoy Keweenaw’s fall color. (Photo © and courtesy Nathan Miller)

KORC’s recreation interests range from self-powered activities like hiking, camping, biking, kayaking, skiing, and snowshoeing, to motorized sports like ATV/ORV riding and snowmobiling. KORC also represents hunting, fishing, berry-picking, and bird watching as well as environmental, geological, historical, and cultural heritage interests. KORC wants to secure permanent public access and provide land use opportunities for all of these varied interests.

KORC Steering Committee member and Eagle Harbor Township Supervisor Rich Probst described the importance of this coordinated effort.

"The biggest thing is the collaboration with all the groups," Probst said. "We are all in this together, getting it done with everybody’s input for the good of the whole."

KORC members are working together to secure land access because much of Keweenaw’s real estate is at risk to fragmentation and loss of public access. Today, a significant portion of the land in Keweenaw County is controlled by an absentee corporate owner.

During the Keweenaw’s copper mining boom in the late 1800s and early 1900s, mining companies amassed ownership of the majority of the land in Keweenaw County. Over time, these companies and the land that they controlled were consolidated under the Calumet and Hecla mining company. But as the industry declined and the mines closed in the latter half of the 20th century, Calumet and Hecla and other mining companies sold off their land.

Since then, this Keweenaw land has changed hands between a string of corporate owners who buy and sell the land as an asset for timber harvest and value appreciation. Today, approximately 120,000 acres of Keweenaw land are owned by the New York based hedge fund complex, The Rohatyn Group (TRG), and overseen by a land management consulting firm called American Forest Management (AFM). Prior to TRG, most of Keweenaw County’s land was owned by another international hedge fund complex, GMO (Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo and Co., LLC). GMO is the name that appears in the most recent plat book.

Because this land has mostly been controlled by one owner at a time, much of it has remained intact with largely uninhibited public access. But although TRG and its predecessors have generally been tolerant of public recreational access, they care little for the land’s well-being (other than the return on investment it generates) and do not guarantee that the public will always be able to enjoy it. TRG holdings are often aggressively harvested for timber, sometimes to the detriment of the native ecosystem and land quality. Logging also disrupts the trail systems and roads that provide access to remote areas. Inset photo: Keweenaw deer hunters. (Photo © and courtesy Gina Nicholas)

The biggest risk to public access on this land is fragmentation. Hedge funds are almost always ready to sell parts of their holdings for the right price. If pieces of TRG’s holding are sold, and the land is sectioned off into pieces controlled by many private owners, public use may be restricted, trail systems may be forced to re-route or be removed entirely, and Keweenaw residents could lose access to land that they have enjoyed for generations.

Fragmentation is already occurring. In 2000, a forest products company called International Paper owned approximately 175,000 acres of Keweenaw County land. Today, only 120,000 acres of this land are still controlled by a single corporate owner (presently TRG). The difference between these two figures, 55,000 acres of Keweenaw land, has been sectioned off and sold by hedge fund owners over the past two decades. While some of this land was purchased by local conservancies and units of government and is still open to the public, some prime lakeshore properties and other desirable areas have been sold to private owners and are now developed or inaccessible to the public.

Skiers and snowshoers trek up Mount Baldy. (Photo © and courtesy Nathan Miller) 

"We had the privilege for almost 100 years of using this land that we didn’t own and we didn’t pay taxes on -- we just used it because the owners didn’t care," Nicholas noted. "But it wasn’t a right; it was always a privilege. We can’t rely on privileges any longer. We have to find a way to secure access in a legal and respectful manner."

Working with Michigan DNR

KORC hopes to secure this access by collaborating with the State of Michigan to help manage existing State land and to assist the State in acquiring more Keweenaw County land.

In 2002-2003, the State of Michigan purchased roughly 6,300 acres of land on the tip of Keweenaw using money from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. The initial Tip purchase was made possible with help from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Over time, TNC, Keweenaw Community Forest Company, and other organizations have helped the Michigan DNR (Department of Natural Resources) add additional parcels and eliminate inholdings. Today the DNR owns 8,999 acres at the Keweenaw Tip and 822 acres at Fort Wilkins.

Dana Richter photographed this view of Manitou Island from High Rock Bay in 2004 during a tour with members of the Keweenaw Point Advisory Committee and DNR staff, following the initial Keweenaw Tip purchase. Remains of a campfire can be seen in the foreground. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2004 Dana Richter. Reprinted with permission.) 

In 2005, representatives from the community collaborated with the DNR to produce a management plan for this land. But in the years since, management and stewardship actions have been limited. Visitors to the Keweenaw Tip land are increasingly impeded by poor roads, and they often find these beautiful places damaged by garbage dumping and other misuse.

Community partnerships for management

"The land has huge recreational value and potential, but it is underutilized and undermanaged," noted Aaron Rogers, owner and president of Rock Solid Trail Contracting and a KORC Steering Committee member. "The only way to improve management is with more community involvement. We can do this locally -- not only by advocating for the purchase of more land, but by actively helping to manage it ourselves." 

A smiling woman mountain biker heads down one of the Keweenaw's challenging trails. (Photo © and courtesy Nathan Miller)

In the spring of 2020, KORC representatives began working together with the DNR to improve public access and clean up this land. KORC and its partner organizations purchased and installed bear-proof trash receptacles at High Rock Bay, and will be funding and constructing a vault toilet to be installed at High Rock in 2021. KORC will provide services for trash collection and vault toilet maintenance by funding partners with local employees.

Trash receptacle installed at High Rock Bay in the summer of 2020. (Photo © and courtesy Gina Nicholas) 

KORC also raised money to improve the West Schlatter Lake Road. During the summer of 2020, KORC members raised funds to retain Mike McMahon through JE Hendrickson Excavating to repair the road, enabling safer public access for camping and other recreation at Schlatter Lake. KORC also helped Keweenaw County raise money to improve amenities at the Gratiot River Park in Allouez Township. 

Summer camping at High Rock Bay. (Photo © and courtesy Jim Vivian III)

"I see KORC as a mechanism to allow all the local interest groups to work together to utilize this land," said Mark Ahlborn, Calumet Keweenaw Sportsmen’s Club member and KORC Steering Committee member. "It’s how we are all going to get together to serve everyone who wants to come and visit us."

Businesses and tourism economy

KORC members also believe taking care of Keweenaw’s land and providing positive experiences for visitors are crucial for the local economy. Many of Keweenaw’s restaurants, hotels, shops, and other local businesses depend upon tourism revenue. Visitors are drawn to the Keweenaw for a variety of reasons, from the area’s unique geological features to its mountain biking trails. But these features, and the tourists that they attract, are dependent upon wise management and sustained public access to Keweenaw land.

"Historically we’ve always had it -- it’s always been viewed as a recreational asset for the community, not only for personal use but for tourism and generating tourism dollars for the region," said Rogers. "If it gets sold off and it disappears, it will have a significant impact on tourism and the local economy."

Runners race along the Point Trail during the Run the Keweenaw event. (Photo © and courtesy Nathan Miller)

Don Kauppi, KORC Steering Committee member and co-owner of The Mariner North in Copper Harbor, reflected on the economic impact of Keweenaw’s growing tourism industry. Since the 1970s, tourism-based jobs in the Keweenaw have increased dramatically, largely due to outdoor recreational attractions like snowmobiling and biking. Don explains that despite little change in the year-round populations of Houghton and Keweenaw counties, today there are 35 more restaurants in the two-county area than there were in 1978.

A snowmobiler traverses the rugged terrain. (Photo © and courtesy Rich Probst)

Don also described how the recently growing interest in outdoor recreation during all four seasons has extended the months of profitable tourism business in Copper Harbor.

"The terrain is our product," he said. "Now, we’re going to try to save Keweenaw jobs by saving the terrain that brings people up here."

For many KORC members, protecting the local economy means protecting a way of life.

Steering Committee member Jim Vivian III points out that 70 percent of Keweenaw jobs are tourism-based.

"If we lose access to the land, I think it will take decades for our local economy to recalibrate," Vivian said. "It’s to protect our way of life and our economy."

For Keweenaw business owners, promoting the area’s economic vitality goes hand in hand with protecting land and securing public access.

"KORC represents an underlying goal of why I got into business 20 years ago," explained Sam Raymond, Steering Committee member and the owner of Keweenaw Adventure Company. "I thought that trails and outdoor recreation could result in the preservation of the Keweenaw for permanent public access and utilization of all of the wonderful resources that we have. KORC is the vehicle to get us there right now."

Kayaking in blue Lake Superior Waters. (Photo © and courtesy Chris Guibert)

KORC seeks public support for State land ownership

KORC is now supporting the DNR’s effort to acquire approximately 15,800 acres of additional land by using the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund or other methods to bring this acreage into permanent State ownership. This land includes the actual geographic Keweenaw Point, much of the Mandan road, and portions of the motorized trail system.

If the State purchases this land, it will ensure permanent public access for all to the "Keweenaw Tip Recreation Area." It will secure the main motorized trail corridor ("the rail road grade") from Mohawk to the Tip, and could expand trail systems and other outdoor recreation opportunities. This acquisition would also connect the ecosystems found on the Tip to the larger Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor by linking the Tip to township and conservancy lands along the Brockway Mountain ridge to Eagle Harbor and Eagle River.

This map shows the potential Keweenaw Tip Recreation Area that State land acquisition would allow. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy KORC)

KORC is conducting outreach using mailings, email blasts, and social media to raise awareness and gain public support for this project. Additionally, KORC has collaborated with the Keweenaw County Road Commission to collect data on public use of the Mandan Road from the end of US 41 in order to help build the case for land acquisition. KORC encourages anyone who supports this acquisition to submit a nomination form either electronically or through the mail to tell the State why acquiring this land is important.

"Over the years the State never really had the chance to see what we have to offer up here, but now I think that we can prove to them that we are such an asset," said Peg Kauppi, Steering Committee member and co-owner of the Mariner North. "Here we are with this unreal piece of real estate that juts out into Lake Superior. We have so much to offer: the largest vertical drop east of the Rockies, the wildflowers, the rocks, it goes on and on."

Brockway Mountain Summit west vista, showing Lake Superior and Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor, Eagle Harbor Township. A Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant allowed Eagle Harbor Township to acquire the Brockway summit in 2012. That purchase added to the Keweenaw Coastal Wildlife Corridor for conservation and recreational access.(Keweenaw Now file photo courtesy Eagle Harbor Township)

"I think that if we don’t take control of this property now so that it can’t be segmented off, then we lose that ability forever," Peg concluded.

KORC and its partners intend to keep working to secure access to Keweenaw land for outdoor recreation, for the local economy, for conservation, for Keweenaw’s cultural heritage. Their hope is that everyone can experience and enjoy this land forever. Gina Nicholas expressed this wish for future generations.

"I’ve always loved Keweenaw, and I want my child and my future grandchildren to have the same thing that I feel is one of the most important things in my life," Nicholas said. "I have to fight for posterity."

Aaron Rogers noted his belief that everyone who has a life in the Keweenaw region can support the KORC mission of securing public access to this land.

"I would encourage people -- if they have any questions about KORC, its mission, and what it stands for -- to reach out and gain an understanding of what we are trying to do," Rogers said. "All of our communities stand to benefit from what KORC is doing."

More information on KORC and its initiatives can be found on the KORC Website, and on KORC’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. KORC encourages interested individuals to become members and support the group’s efforts to secure permanent public access to Keweenaw land.

* Editor's Note: Keweenaw Now guest writer Nicholas Wilson is a Keweenaw resident and free-lance journalist. 

Area providers experiencing shortened COVID-19 waitlists; more vaccines coming soon

BARAGA, GOGEBIC, HOUGHTON, KEWEENAW and ONTONAGON COUNTIES -- As the vaccine supply coming into the area becomes more reliable, providers in the Western Upper Peninsula are seeing a decline in the demand for appointments from those age 65 and older.

"We are beginning to see gaps in our appointment schedules for the 65 and older group," said Kate Beer, Health Officer for the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD). "Providers across the district are struggling to fill clinics at the last minute. If you have held off on scheduling your appointment, now is the time to call."

Residents can visit https://coppercountrystrong.com/vaccine to locate a provider in their area. Those without computer access should call 211 for assistance in scheduling an appointment.

Community partners are also working on a plan to provide mobile vaccinations to those who have difficulty obtaining transportation or are homebound. One option is the newly approved Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

"We have confirmation that at least 700 doses of the new vaccine will be shipped to our area within the next several days. It will be a useful tool in vaccinating homebound residents and those with limited transportation options," continued Beer. "Unlike the other brands currently available, it requires only one dose and is easier to store and handle."

Michigan is currently in Phase 1B of the COVID-19 vaccination effort. Phase 1B includes residents age 65 and older and some frontline essential workers. Vaccination opened up this week for workers in the food processing industry. WUPHD anticipates that additional age groups and essential worker categories will be added as early as next week.

For more information on COVID-19 please visit wuphd.org, michigan.gov/coronavirus, or cdc.gov/coronavirus.

City of Houghton to hold Feb. 24 Public Hearings on rezoning proposals 314, 315; residents express environmental concerns

By Michele Bourdieu

This map outlines the area between Canal Road and the Portage shoreline being considered under proposed Ordinance 314 for rezoning from R-1 (single-family residential) to B-2 (commercial) by the City of Houghton. The Feb. 24 Houghton City Council meeting will include Public Hearings on proposed rezoning ordinances 314 and 315. Click on map for larger version. (Map courtesy City of Houghton)

HOUGHTON -- Local residents continue to question the City of Houghton's proposed rezoning ordinances 314 and 315, intended to change the zoning of an area along Canal Road adjacent to the Portage Waterway from R-1 (single family residential) to B-2 (commercial). The Houghton City Council will hold a public hearing for each of these rezoning proposals at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, via Zoom. A petition, "Stop Houghton City Ordinance 2020-314 and 315," that now has 775 signatures, will be presented to the Houghton City Council at this hearing.*

Proposed Ordinance 314 is intended to change an area that is part of the Torch Lake Superfund, where hazardous industrial waste, including slag from the former Michigan Smelter, was covered with only 6 inches of soil and vegetation. If the area is rezoned to B-2, large hotels, motels, bars, restaurants and other commercial buildings would be permitted along the shoreline of the Portage Waterway (canal). Area residents have expressed concerns that such large-scale construction would disturb the Superfund cover and release harmful, even cancer-causing contaminants into the water and the air.

This aerial view shows the area of the Michigan Smelter site under the Torch Lake Superfund. The light grey, striped area marks the covered slag tailings. This area appears to include the area proposed for rezoning to B-2 under Ordinance 314. (Screenshot from EPA Fact Sheet, August 2012)

Proposed Ordinance 315 would allow construction of a commercial seaplane base on the Portage Waterway. Residents in both Houghton and Hancock have raised concerned about the noise of the planes taking off and landing several times a day. Safety concerns have been raised because of the proximity of this base to the Hancock Beach and Campground, as well as shoreline residences.

This map and overlay shows potential impacts should proposed Ordinance 315 be adopted to allow the Isle Royale Seaplane Service to operate on the Portage Canal as illustrated. The overlay shows the projected float plane activity area, its proximity to established residential areas and existing recreational silent sports on the canal, which includes part of the Keweenaw Water Trail. (Map courtesy Jennifer Norkol)

This map of the proposed location for the Isle Royale Seaplane Service shows the area to be changed from R-1 to B-2 zoning if Ordinance 315 is adopted. (Map courtesy City of Houghton) 

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Proposed rezoning Ordinance 314 raises environmental concerns

Residents expressed concerns about the proposed Ordinance 314 at the Jan. 26 Public Hearing held by the City of Houghton Planning Commission.

During that Public Hearing, Chris Woodry -- a local homebuilder whose property is located in both the City of Houghton and Adams Township because of its location in the Cole's Creek area, very near the proposed 314 rezoning area -- spoke of his concerns about the environmental impacts of excavating a Superfund site for large-scale commercial construction. He noted the Superfund covers such hazardous contaminants as arsenic, mercury and more that could get into the water and the air.

"I don't see any way you can develop an area like that without disturbing the soil greatly," Woodry said. "This is an issue about the environment -- not just in that immediate vicinity but the federally protected trout stream right next door; Hancock Beach, probably one of the most popular swim beaches definitely in the county if not this part of the Upper Peninsula, directly across; children, fishing, campground, private residences, docks."

In addition to environmental impacts, such commercial construction could lower property values for residents nearby, Woodry added.

"Before something would be rezoned, perhaps a real deed restriction would come about -- about what kind of building could end up there," he said.

Later, in a conversation with Keweenaw Now, Woodry said he is not against shoreline development, as long as it is done thoughtfully and tastefully with consideration for the future of the area.

"I build houses, and I know that you can't build a house, let alone a commercial development, without excavation," Woodry said. "There is no way they could build any commercial building there without large-scale excavation. Statements about development not requiring heavy equipment would be entirely false. How else do you build anything? The bigger the building, the bigger the required excavation. Large scale excavation is required for large buildings, and you must remove dirt that simply has nowhere to go back on the site. It's then hauled away -- and that cannot safely, or legally, happen with Superfund sites. The reason it's a Superfund site is that things were done very poorly in the past, and over a century later we're still paying a price for this."

During the Jan. 26 hearing, Evan Dixon, Houghton resident and attorney, told the Planning Commission he was getting many calls about this rezoning issue. He mentioned the petition, which City Clerk Ann Vollrath said the City had not yet received at that time.*

Dixon also spoke about the EPA Superfund's Record of Decision (ROD) for the Torch Lake Superfund, which dealt with the hazardous waste from historic smelters in the area. The Michigan Smelter, which was located right across Canal Road opposite this (314) area proposed for rezoning, he noted, was cited in the ROD as presenting a cancer risk higher than any other local smelter from the mining era -- "unacceptably high and exceptionally high," producing such contaminants as arsenic, beryllium, chromium and more.**

"Rezoning from R-1 to B-2," Dixon said, "frankly just seems like a very broad stroke. It's like performing brain surgery with a machete -- when you have other options."

Other options could be conditional rezoning or planned unit development, he explained. B-2 is so broad that you lose control over what is done there, while planned unit development offers flexibility and allows you to take into consideration community interest -- the fact that the area is beautiful and the natural beauty is what attracts people.

"What brings revenue to the City of Houghton is tourism," Dixon said.

He also told the Planning Commissioners that he would like to add to the record of their hearing, in addition to the Superfund ROD, the City of Houghton's own Zoning Ordinance, in particular Chapter 98-772, which states the following: "Consideration shall be given to the location, size, and character of a use to determine if the use will promote public health, safety, and general welfare, and be in harmony with the intent and appropriate and orderly development of the district in which it is situated, and will not be detrimental to the orderly development of adjacent districts."

Concerning public health, the ROD (Record of Decision of the Superfund) is evidence of the risk to public health and, in addition, the water table in the area is quite high. 

"Those heavy metals would be going into the water," Dixon said.

Carol MacLennan, Michigan Tech professor in Social Sciences, who has done social science research on Torch Lake and who is a Houghton resident with a home on the Portage Waterway, stated during the Jan. 26 Planning Commission Public Hearing that she was in agreement with Evan Dixon concerning the Michigan Smelter. She confirmed it was the only smelter in the area listed as having an unacceptable cancer risk. In addition, no development -- neither residential nor commercial -- has occurred on the slag tailings at either the  Hubbell Smelter or the Quincy Smelter sites, she explained.

"This is not a stamp sand site; it's primarily a slag tailings site," MacLennan confirmed.***

Digging deeply at this rezoning site for any kind of commercial development would release heavy metals and the slag fragments, which are capped right now, into the environment and the Portage Waterway, MacLennan added. She suggested consulting with the EPA or EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy), noting EPA has deed restrictions on the delisted Torch Lake Superfund sites.****

"Generally no slag or sand can be removed from any site and all open areas created by the owner must be recovered with soil and capped," MacLennan told Keweenaw Now. "Also it is prudent to determine the responsibility by the owners in permitting for construction on Superfund delisted sites, and which permits might have to take the special nature of the site into consideration. A further question is one of what happens to large amounts of sand/slag removed during construction of a large structure and the responsibility of the owner for disposal or re-grading and covering it."

During the Jan. 26 Planning Commission hearing, Kristine Weidner (Jukuri), representing the owners of the 314 property, noted that covenants (deed restrictions) for the Michigan Smelter Superfund property have been in place since about 1995. Private deed restrictions also exist, Weidner said.***** She stated the Isle Royale Sands are a "precedent" as a  zoning situation because of their mixed uses (both R-1 and Industrial).

However, Carol MacLennan added that the Isle Royale Sands, some of which were remediated by the City of Houghton, not the Superfund, are stamp sand and not slag, thus differing in substance from the 314 Superfund area.

A letter of public comment from Carol MacLennan can be found in the Feb. 24 Houghton City Council Agenda Packet, pp. 62-64.

EGLE's Wally Wagaw, Senior Project Manager, Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD)/Superfund Section, told Keweenaw Now that, while EPA is the lead agency for Superfund sites, EGLE’s role is solely to inspect and maintain the vegetated cover (cap) at 13 locations, Michigan Smelter being one of them.

"My role as a project Manager is to ensure the integrity of the vegetated cap is properly maintained and kept intact, thereby preventing the materials beneath the cap from being disturbed and released into the air or into the lake," Wagaw said. "If the cap is damaged or breached as a result of construction related activities, it has to be restored to its original condition as per specifications."

In this case the "specifications" are six inches of loam soil and vegetation on top of that.

Nabil Fayoumi, Remedial Project Manager, EPA Region 5, Superfund and Emergency Management Division, said a deed restriction, or covenant, is required for the Michigan Smelter Superfund site to prevent disturbance of the vegetation cap.

"This issue will need to be resolved before redevelopment plans can move forward," Fayoumi explained. "Again, zoning is a local issue. However, once the new zoning is approved, EPA will work with the property owner and the City to make sure that redevelopment plans don’t interfere with the selected remedy at the site."

While neither EPA nor EGLE would try to influence a local zoning decision directly, a section of NREPA (National Resource Environmental Protection Act) directs local government bodies to consult with EGLE before rezoning an area that could pose risks to the environment:

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 451 of 1994

324.32311 Approval or disapproval of zoning ordinance regulating high risk area, flood risk area, or environmental area.

Sec. 32311.
   An existing zoning ordinance or a zoning ordinance or a modification or amendment to a zoning ordinance that regulates a high-risk area, a flood risk area, or an environmental area shall be submitted to the department for approval or disapproval. The department shall determine if the ordinance, modification, or amendment adequately prevents property damage or prevents damage to an environmental area, a high-risk area, or a flood risk area. If an ordinance, modification, or amendment is disapproved by the department, it shall not have force or effect until modified by the local unit of government and approved by the department.

History: Add. 1995, Act 59, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1995
Popular Name: Act 451
Popular Name: NREPA

© 2020 Legislative Council, State of Michigan

The terms "high risk," "flood risk," and "environmental area," may seem on the surface to apply to the area of the proposed 314 Ordinance because of the hazardous material under the Superfund cover and the high water level of the water table (some of the area was damaged by the 2018 Father's Day Flood). However, EGLE's Water Resources Department cites definitions of these terms that reportedly do not apply to this area proposed for rezoning.

According to EGLE's Ryan McCone, Upper Peninsula District Supervisor, Water Resources Division Resources Unit, "Part 323, Shorelands Protection and Management, of the NREPA only applies regulatory authority over areas of Michigan shoreline that have been designated by the state as high risk erosion areas, environmental areas, or flood risk areas as defined in that statute. For reference, those definitions are available to the public online at Michigan Legislature - Section 324.32301.

"The area in question here is not designated as a high risk erosion area, environmental area, or flood risk area under Part 323. As such, the state has no authority at that site under Part 323."

Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK), a local environmental organization, submitted a public comment for the Feb. 24 hearing on 314. Their letter can be found in the Feb. 24 City Council Agenda Packet, p. 54. 

FOLK states, in part, the following:

"The proposed zoning Ordinance 314 parcel includes part of the Torch Lake Superfund site. It contains mining waste from the former Michigan Smelter, which operated from the early 1900s to 1948. The entire area is in a 100-year flood plain with buried mine waste containing hazardous chemicals, some carcinogenic.

"This toxic site has the potential to be severely disturbed if large structures are built, as deep pilings are needed for a foundation. Exposure of this Superfund site could mean toxic leakage into the canal located near the Houghton and Hancock beach parks....

"We, the citizens of Houghton County, should not forget the horrendous damage caused by the 2018 Father's Day flood and remember that we could experience another unprecedented storm in the future. It is the responsibility of all of us to protect the health of our community, as much as possible, from serious damage like that again.
 
"Therefore, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw (FOLK) is concerned about the degradation that commercial excavation and development on this contaminated section could have on the canal and citizens of the area that use the surrounding beaches and ultimately, on Lake Superior. The community and watershed could be better served if this high-risk area was developed for 'low impact activity' on the remediated 314 parcel Superfund site."

Rezoning Standards Worksheet

A Rezoning Standards Worksheet for proposed ordinances 314 and 315, compiled by Houghton residents Mary Fraley and Liz Gerson and Hancock waterfront resident Jen Norkol has been submitted to the Houghton City Council and is also available on line in the Agenda Packet for the Feb. 24 Meeting. (See pp. 38-42 of the packet.) The worksheet lists 17 questions, answers and comments on each of the proposed ordinances, 314 and 315.

An example is question #8: Is the proposed location an appropriate location for all uses which would be permitted under the requested district?

Answer re 314: UNCERTAIN: This ordinance allows for a wide range of uses -- some compatible with R-1, others NOT compatible. All permitted uses in addition to R-1 include: multiple-family dwellings; group /nursery schools and child care with dorms; professional/admin offices; banks; personal services; retail services; parking lots; food stores and restaurants; medical offices; motels; taverns/other food, beverage service; hotels. (Liz Gerson commented on this list of uses under B-2 during the Jan. 26 Planning Commission hearing, noting the "jump" from R-1 to B-2 is a big one and the public needs to be made aware of the uses B-2 would allow.)

Answer re 315: NO: Seaplane base is not consistent with the intent of B-2 Community Business District (per Sec. 98-95); is not a permitted principal use (Sec. 98-97) nor an allowed Special Land Use (Sec. 98-98). Seaplane base should be zoned I-1 Industrial district where principal permitted uses include transportation and/or terminal facilities, and maintenance activities for vehicles of any kind (Sec. 98-118).

The Worksheet also includes questions on whether the proposed rezoning is compatible with existing property uses (residential) within a half mile of the site, whether it satisfies a need in the community, whether it is compatible with the Master Plan for that area, whether it will increase noise, whether it will increase traffic congestion and create a safety problem, and more. The answers indicate an expected negative effect of the rezoning.

City of Hancock discussion

During the Feb. 3, 2021, regular meeting of the Hancock City Council, Chris Woodry spoke at length about the environmental and health concerns of residents regarding the proposed rezoning ordinances 314 and 315, summarizing the issue for the Hancock Council. He noted residents of Hancock and nearby townships as well as Houghton residents would be impacted by the rezoning and the public is being ignored in spite of residents' opposition.

This aerial view of the Houghton proposed rezoning areas was projected during the Feb. 3, 2021, meeting of the Hancock City Council. The Hancock Beach (upper right corner) is across from the Seaplane Service site proposed for rezoning Ordinance 315. (Screenshot courtesy City of Hancock)

"The public is pretty unanimously opposed," Woodry told the Hancock Councilors. "We were wondering if Hancock would take an official stance to maybe ask Houghton to consider a study for this, for the benefit of the Hancock residents, the safety of the residents."

Woodry, who is a pilot himself, noted the potential impacts on the kayaking business at Hancock Beach, the campground, the boat launch, plans for a water park -- with a seaplane taking off just a few hundred feet away.

In answer to a question from Hancock Councilor and Mayor Pro-tem Will Lytle on the details of the seaplane operation, Woodry estimated the company would have about 25-35 flights a day, coming and going (in season).

Hancock Mayor Paul LaBine, thanked Woodry for his comments and said he looked forward to discussion and some action by the Council on the issue.

However, Will Lytle told Keweenaw Now that despite the fact that the Hancock Council agreed to such a discussion and action, it did not happen.

"At the Feb 3rd Hancock meeting, we agreed to research the situation and discuss/act if need be," Lytle said in a Feb. 19 email. "I wrote a draft resolution, which we attempted to add to the agenda this Wednesday (Feb.17). Unfortunately, 5 voted to leave it off the agenda. So there was no discussion, and no action. I would guess that this is the end for Hancock taking a stance or making a recommendation."

Mentioning the Michigan Smelter Superfund site, Lytle's Draft Resolution (so far not taken up by the Hancock Council) encourages the Houghton City Council to consider the potential impacts of the rezoning proposal and includes the following statements:

"WHEREAS, a 2017 report from Isle Royale National Park (lists) the take-off noise for the common models of seaplanes servicing the island as 80 decibels from 1000-2000 feet away. The residents of Hancock, beachgoers, swimmers in the water, and watercraft would likely be much closer than 1000 ft if seaplane operations take place at this location. There is concern among our residents that the sightline for pilots and noise generated by flights would pose a safety hazard. Michigan State law creates the authority for regulating aeronautical noise per MCL 259.80b , and allows for the Airport Authority Board  to set standards for requiring noise abatement. Please consider consulting with the Airport Authority Board before permitting seaplane operations in this location."

and

"WHEREAS, the City of Hancock encourages the Houghton City Council to be familiar with the types of uses that are allowed under B-2 (community business) zoning, and ensure that they do not present conflicts with the Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), or Federal Aviation Administration regulations; to consider an amendment to the zoning of this tract of land that places restrictions on development to mitigate the described risk factors such as:
●    Restrict the depth of excavation on mine slag sites that have been identified be the EPA as containing toxins.
●    Set a fee schedule that specifically addresses costs for construction operations on the site that disrupt and disperse toxins and ensure contractors are insured to the appropriate level.
●    Create a noise ordinance for operating aircraft adjacent from public beaches.
●    Require any business that operates on this site file for a permit to ensure that construction and operations meeting community standards.
●    Set limitations on the height of buildings that can be constructed on this site."

Hancock Councilor Whitney Warstler submitted an email on Jan. 13, 2021, to the Houghton City Council and City Manager Eric Waara, stating concerns of Hancock residents expressed in correspondence received by the Hancock City Council.

Warstler mentions emails from residents concerned about noise pollution from the seaplane business and its impact on people recreating in the water.

"I am also concerned about the safety risks this noise will have on our public beach," Warstler writes. "The seaplane will drown out the voices of parents trying to communicate with their children in the water, and most alarming could make calls for help go unheard."

Warstler also notes the planes may violate Hancock's noise ordinance and impact the campground as well.

"The last concern that has been mentioned is the environmental impact building on a Superfund site could have on its surrounding areas," she adds.

Hancock resident John Slivon, in a comment during the Jan. 26 Houghton Planning Commission hearing, summed up an opinion shared by many residents.

"Rezoning will not change the toxic nature of the site," Slivon said, "and so removing that cap is a no-brainer. It should not be done."

Notes:

* Click here for the Petition, Stop Houghton City Ordinance 2020-314 and 315.

** Click here to view the 1992 EPA Record of Decision for the Torch Lake Superfund. Click on the pdf icon to see or download the whole document. The Michigan Smelter is discussed in OU-III.

*** While the actual content of the Michigan Smelter slag is not known definitely, slag has been found by Michigan Tech researchers to contain heavy metals; and digging into this slag site with only 6 inches of Superfund cover could release contaminants into the water and air.

**** See: "EPA Requesting Property Owners to Add Deed Restrictions."

***** Houghton County deed records show a 1995 deed restriction for a property with legal description matching that of the 314 rezoning proposal and owned by JRG that refers to the Torch Lake Superfund. It is listed as 100MS-00677.

Kalevala Week to celebrate Finnish epic with Art from the Kalevala exhibit, Kalevalathon marathon reading

Kalevala Week will celebrate the Finnish epic poem with the exhibit "Animal Life - Art from the Kalevala" at the Copper Country Community Arts Center and the 3rd annual Kalevalathon, a public reading of the Kalevala. (Image from Kalevala courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC) and the Finlandia University Finnish and Nordic Studies Program are pleased to announce Kalevala Week 2021, a joint program of public events in celebration of Finland’s national epic, Kalevala. The CCCAC’s annual Art of the Kalevala exhibition and the Finnish and Nordic Studies Program’s annual Kalevala reading marathon will highlight the important place Kalevala has in the Copper Country through events that will be offered online and in person.

CCCAC presents "Animal Life - Art from the Kalevala" through Feb. 27

"Tuonelan Joutsen/Swan of Tuonela" by Anita Jain. Nuno felting, free machine stitching. "Swan was believed to be related to humans, and considered holy. Swans, and in particular Swan of Tuonela was believed to be able to communicate between the dead and the living. Anyone who killed a swan could expect to be killed himself," artist Jain writes. (Photo courtesy Copper Country Community Arts Center)

The Copper Country Community Arts Center is presenting "Animal Life - Art from the Kalevala," an annual invitational exhibition celebrating Finland’s epic poem, through Feb. 27. The Kalevala is a 19th century work of poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology. It is regarded as the national epic poem of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature.

Local artists participating with work related to animals in the Kalevala include: Clare Zuraw, Karen Tembruell, Fredi Taddeucci, Steve Niemi, Clyde Mikkola, Madhura Mehendale, Bonnie Loukus, Joyce Koskenmaki, Angela Kilpela, Jeanne Houle Peters, Lindsey Heiden, Tammy Gajewski, Terri Frew, Bob Dawson, and Cynthia Coté. Also exhibiting are David Kronberg from Cheboygan, MI, and Anita Jain from Minneapolis, MN. The exhibition will run through Feb. 27, 2021. It is also available for viewing on the CCCAC’s website.

"The Broken Knife Revenge" by Angela Kilpela. Acrylic on wood. (Photo courtesy Copper Country Community Arts Center)

The online exhibit also includes a list of runes from the Kalevala, since artists were asked to include the rune that inspired their piece.

The CCCAC exhibition also displays figurines and utilitarian items carved from wood and birch bark baskets, shoes, and vessels on loan from the Finnish American Heritage Center Archives at Finlandia University.

A virtual reception will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 23, with a gallery talk titled "Animals in Kalevala and Finnish Folklore," by Kalevala scholar Dr. Hilary-Joy Virtanen from Finlandia University. Everyone is welcome. The reception link is available at www.coppercountryarts.com.

For more information on the exhibition and reception, contact CCCAC Director Cynthia Coté at (906) 482-2333.

Finlandia's Finnish and Nordic Studies to hold 3rd Annual Kalevalathon.

The Kalevalathon will be an online marathon reading of the Kalevala from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25. The Kalevalathon invites members of the public to participate as readers of individual runes. Readers will need to have their own copy of Kalevala to read from, in any language or translation. The Crawford English translation of Kalevala is freely available at projectruneberg.org; many public libraries also have the epic available for checkout.

Join the event for as long or as short a duration as you like at: https://zoom.us/j/98971269326?pwd=V0IyZkcxb0taZUoveTZMTGN0aXpaZz09

Passcode: 600201

If you are interested in reading one of the runes, indicate your interest by typing your name into the chat function of Zoom after entering the meeting. Readers will be placed in line on a first-come, first-served basis. This event will also livestream via YouTube. All times are in the Eastern Time Zone and all events are free and open to the public.

For more information on the Kalevalathon, contact Professor Hilary Virtanen at (906) 487-7514.