Oil and Water Don't Mix: More time needed to examine proposals on future of Enbridge Line 5 in Mackinac Straits

[Editor's Update: The deadline for comments on the documents mentioned below has been extended to Feb. 16, 2016. Click here for info.]

A coalition of community groups, organizations and businesses concerned with the threat of Enbridge Energy Partner’s Line 5 through the Straits of Mackinac has criticized the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Attorney General’s office for giving the public less than a week to examine crucial documents that will be used to decide the future of the controversial oil pipeline. The Oil and Water Don’t Mix coalition is asking the state to extend the time for public comment from 5 days ending today, Feb. 5, to 30 days.

The Oil and Water Don’t Mix coalition has made it possible for the public to comment by using a form on their Web site.*

At issue are more than 20 pages of documents called "Independent Risk Analysis" and "Independent Alternatives Analysis" for the Straits pipelines, which Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and the MDEQ announced Monday, Feb. 1, along with a deadline of today, Friday, for public comment. The documents will be used in the hiring of consultants to undertake the studies and examine alternatives to Line 5 in the Straits.

Guy Meadows, director of Michigan Tech University's Great Lakes Research Center and adjunct professor in geological and mining engineering and sciences, who is a Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board member, told Keweenaw Now the advisory board began considering these documents last October.

"The advisory board began considering the Independent Risk and Alternatives studies last October with members providing valuable and thoughtful input to the process," Meadows said today. "Similar input from the public is also sought and encouraged."**

However, several citizen groups have objected to the short notice given to the public -- with only five days to comment. 

"You can’t claim to want the public engaged or that you are being transparent and then turn around and give folks just five days to respond to proposals critical to the future of the Great Lakes," said David Holtz, Chair of the Michigan Sierra Club Executive Committee. "These documents will determine what is on the table and what isn’t when it comes to decisions about the future of Line 5. Enbridge and other insiders have had these documents for many weeks. We think the public should have the same opportunity as the oil industry to weigh in on them."

Sierra Club is one of 24 organizations that have endorsed the Oil and Water Don’t Mix coalition’s goal of ending the flow of oil through the Straits and keeping oil out of the Great Lakes.The coalition also has the support of more than 200 businesses and 15 local governments.

"What happens with these documents will affect the lakes for generations to come, and Michiganders deserve a fair chance to have their say," said Lynna Kaucheck, Senior Midwest Organizer for Food and Water Watch. "The health of our Great Lakes hinges on decisions about Line 5."

The citizens groups say the state’s draft documents fall short in key areas, including the following:

• Too little attention is paid to public health. Short- and long-term human health impacts from exposure to airborne chemicals released during oil spill recovery must be examined as well as the affects of an oil spill on drinking water sources.

• The proposed analysis of the economic impacts of an oil spill fall short of being comprehensive. Any economic impact assessment must include impacts on Great Lakes waters, aquatic and wildlife resources, drinking water supplies on the U.S. and Canadian sides, tourism, shipping, sports and commercial and recreational fishing, and tribal fishing rights. An economic impact analysis that fails to even consider the Great Lakes as a public trust resource is not credible.

• There must be a detailed section based on a credible worst-case scenario of a Line 5 pipeline rupture that examines methodologies used by other high-hazard industries and includes assessing the cumulative impacts of small, undetected leaks.

The Oil and Water Don’t Mix coalition has called on the state to immediately halt the flow of oil through the Straits while a state Pipeline Safety Advisory Board examines alternatives, which is expected to take months if not years to complete.

Liz Kirkwood, executive director of FLOW (For Love of Water), said the need to eliminate the Line 5 risk to the Great Lakes is urgent.

"It seems the state is trying to rush these documents through because they rightly recognize the urgency of dealing with the Line 5 threat," Kirkwood said. "That’s why we think it’s prudent to stop the flow of oil through the Straits now and undertake a thorough, comprehensive review of permanent alternatives. Short-changing that by cutting out the public’s role isn’t likely to lead to a good outcome for the people of Michigan."

Kate Madigan of the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) adds MEC favors the alternative of decommissioning Line 5.

"Michigan’s future is reliant on the health of the Great Lakes, and the state’s primary responsibility here is to protect the Great Lakes, our public health, drinking water supplies and economy from a catastrophic oil spill."

* Click here to comment immediately to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and the MDEQ using the form from Oil and Water Don't Mix.

** Click here to learn about the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board.

Editor's Note: Unfortunately we only learned of this 5-day comment period today, Feb. 5. It was announced by Attorney General Bill Schuette's office on Feb. 1.

Inset Photo: Oil and Water Don't Mix sign held at Sept. 6, 2015, protest near Mackinac Bridge against Enbridge's Line 5 under the Straits. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

Winter Carnival 2016 snow statue winners announced

Visitors admire Phi Kappa Tau's winning snow statue titled "Welcoming Immigration to This Great Nation" -- with scenes of New York City, including the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge as viewed by immigrants arriving in the harbor. The Hancock fraternity regained their first-place victory -- the eighth in the last nine years. (Photos by Keweenaw Now unless otherwise indicated.)

HOUGHTON -- For the eighth time in the last nine years, Phi Kappa Tau captured the top prize in the month-long statue division for Michigan Tech's 2016 Winter Carnival. The winning entry, constructed outside their house in Hancock, is "Welcoming Immigration to This Great Nation."

As depicted by Phi Kappa Tau's winning creation, New York's Statue of Liberty welcomes immigrants arriving in the harbor. The Empire State Building towers over the New York skyline in the background, and Brooklyn Bridge is at right.

Second place went to last year's winner, Tau Kappa Epsilon, for "Freedom's Price in Show and Ice."

Students put finishing touches on Tau Kappa Epsilon's snow statue titled "Freedom's Price in Show and Ice," which won second place in the month-long statue division. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

Third place was Delta Sigma Phi, "Wyoming's Beauty Shown in a Snow Blown Yellowstone."

Sigma Phi Epsilon captured fourth  place with "Dreams of California-cation" and the Army ROTC took fifth place with "Where Gold Bars are Made."

All-Nighter winners

In the All-Nighter competition, St. Albert the Great University Parish took first place with "Covered By Ice and Snow to MARYland We Will Go."

St. Albert the Great University Parish won first place in the All Nighter competition. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

Lutheran Campus Ministry captured second with "One Nation, One People." In third place is Hyrule with "A Tech Student's Plan of Attack Would Have Prevented the Crack."  Fourth place was captured by First Year Experience-Wads "Remembering Those Who Pulled Their Weight, While Defending Our Great 50 States." And in fifth place was Concordia Student Ministries with "But For Those Who Hope in the Lord Will Renew Their Strength, They Will Soar on Wings Like Eagles."

The snow statue winners, along with the overall Winter Carnival winners will be honored at the awards ceremony at 9 p.m. Saturday in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

More photos of Phi Kappa Tau first-place winner:

The Brooklyn Bridge, with its "decorative slushed rope," is described as "an engineering marvel built by the hands of New York immigrants."

A book records the number of immigrants from each of several countries arriving after a two-week voyage across the Atlantic.

Another view of the Statue of Liberty, with Ellis Island to the left.

Visit the Winter Carnival Web site for more winners and photos.

Reflection Gallery to host Nostalgic Optimism, paintings by Georgi Tsenov, Feb. 4 - March 6

Poster announcing Nostalgic Optimism, paintings by Georgi Tsenov. (Poster courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- Finlandia University's Reflection Gallery in the Jutila Center, Hancock, will host an opening reception for the exhibit Nostalgic Optimism, paintings by Georgi Tsenov, at noon on Thursday, Feb. 4. The artist will be present and refreshments will be served. The exhibit continues through March 6, 2016.

Artist Georgi Tsenov is a Bulgarian painter/educator living and working in the United States since 2009. He currently resides in Hancock. Tsenov holds a Master of Arts degree from Sofia University in Bulgaria. He has held solo exhibitions throughout Bulgaria, and the upper Midwest region of the U.S.

Nostalgic Optimism will showcase 33 of Tsenov’s paintings spanning four years of studio work. The work on display includes landscape and still life paintings, all employing heavy stylization and arbitrary color palettes. The collection of works draws on Tsenov’s formal training, while employing a sense of rebellion toward the medium.

"My life in this nation has been the culmination of a lifelong journey and the fulfillment of my youthful dreams," Tsenov writes in his artist's statement. "My creativity has been inspired by my exploration of the northern Midwest. I am energized by the charm of the many small towns, rows of quaint houses, and beautiful harbors, ports, and marinas I have encountered. I was fascinated by my discovery of the local Native American culture. And perhaps above all, getting to know the local people has been my great pleasure. In short, this has been the long journey of a contemporary Eastern European artist. Otherwise stated, the wonderful discovery of America in forms and color. Particularly exciting for me is to share my discoveries through my art with the American viewer."

The Jutila Center is located at 200 Michigan Street, Hancock. Call (906) 487-7375 for more information.

Winter Carnival 2016 begins with snow statue theme of 50 states

Winter Carnival 2016 logo courtesy Blue Key Honor Society.

HOUGHTON -- It’s Winter Carnival time! Student organizations at Michigan Technological University are perched on scaffolding under lights, working deep into the night on their gigantic snow statues, a month-long effort.

The theme this year is "As snow accumulates at alarming rates, we show our love for the 50 states." Statues are expected to reflect that theme.

Winter Carnival, sponsored by the Blue Key Honor Society, officially starts on Wednesday, Feb. 3, and runs through Saturday, Feb. 6, although some activities have already begun, including ice bowling at the Dee Stadium and curling at the Calumet Drill House.

In ice bowling, students curl up in giant plastic shells, while other students hurl them across the ice at oversized duckpins. Curling, of course, has nothing to do with hair. It is the Scottish sport of heaving a round stone down a lane of ice while teammates sweep furiously ahead of the stone with brooms, to help direct its movement and increase its speed.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, All-Nighter overnight statue building begins. The Alumni Association will serve hot chocolate from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Alumni House. Campus will be lit and lively all night, with karaoke from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and classic Winter Carnival snacks like chili and deep-fried Twinkies.

Thursday morning, Feb. 4, all statue building ends and judges make the rounds. with results announced later that afternoon. The raucous Beards Competition, with outrageous skits as well as impressive facial hair, is at 1 p.m. in Rm. 135 of Fisher Hall. A bit more sophisticated brand of humor is on tap at 7 p.m. in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, with the Stage Review Show. The show features witty, elaborate skits centered on this year's Winter Carnival theme. Stand-up comedian Jeff Scheen is the emcee.

Winter Carnival Sports will feature Women's and Men's Basketball against Ferris State, at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. respectively Thursday in the wood gym and Broomball from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the outdoor broomball courts on campus.

For music lovers, the Brothers of Mu Beta Psi are sponsoring a Jazz Concert from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday at the Orpheum Theater in Hancock. The concert features Northern Standard Time and AstroSax with proceeds benefiting the John MacInnes Student Scholarship for students that have shown interest and participate in musical organizations at Michigan Tech. See the Orpheum Theater facebook page for details.

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, will offer outdoor activities ranging from snow volleyball to horsedrawn sleigh rides to downhill skiing, snowboarding and more. Click here for the full schedule.

Update: Parking on campus

• Lots 5, 9, and pay lot 27 will be open at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and will remain open through Sunday. You may park in these lots without a permit.
• Lot 11 will open at 4 p.m. on Friday and will remain open through Sunday.
• Overnight parking is in Lot 9 next to the Rozsa Center.
• All lots open Saturday - Sunday, with the exception of Resident Lots 4, 17, 17E, 10.
• Free parking at all metered areas begins Wednesday night.

The Transportation Services shuttle will run according to the regular schedule, along with weekday hours extended to 10 p.m. A Saturday shuttle will run from 1 p.m. - 10 p.m. Please note that the MTU shuttle buses are not equipped to handle children.

Michigan Tech Professor co-authors Great Lakes Water Diversion Report

By Jennifer Donovan, Michigan Tech Director of News and Media Relations
Posted on Tech Today Jan. 28, 2016
Reprinted with permission

Michigan Tech Professor Alex Mayer, Great Lakes and water resources expert and former director of Michigan Tech's Center for Water and Society, consulted with the International Joint Commission (IJC) and co-authored a report and recommendations on Great Lakes water diversion. The IJC recently adopted and released the report.

The IJC is an independent bi-national organization responsible for monitoring the boundary waters between the US and Canada and Great Lakes water quality.

"Our charge was to make a 10-year review of how well the Great Lakes, the contributing watersheds, and groundwater resources are protected against diversions or overuse, in light of policy changes and climate change," Mayer said.

Mayer's co-author was Ralph Pentland, a former federal water resources manager in the Canadian government.

In the report, the IJC says, "What is described in this report is for the most part a good news story. The policy gaps identified by the IJC in 2000 have been largely filled. No new inter-basin or intra-basin diversions which would have significant negative impacts on the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes have been approved, the growth in consumptive use appears to have been at least temporarily arrested, and institutional arrangements, such as the Regional Body, are in place to continue those positive trends. But both ongoing management vigilance and additional scientific advances will be required to maintain that positive momentum."

Mayer's recommendations include the following:

(1) We should explore the idea of holding water in the Great Lakes basin in public trust; that is, the citizens of the Great Lakes should own the water.

(2) Since we don't have a good idea yet about how climate change will affect Great Lakes flows, water volumes and water levels, we should take a flexible approach to managing water in the Great Lakes.

(3) We don't have a very good idea about how much water is consumed in the basin. Although water consumption in the Great Lakes is relatively small today, we need to get a handle on these numbers now, in anticipation that these numbers may rise in the future.

(4) We recommended a broad-based collaboration to fix the region's decaying water infrastructure, which at least indirectly relates to the Flint water crisis.

"The focus of the report on protecting the Great Lakes against diversions is very relevant now since the city of Waukesha, Wisconsin, has applied for an exemption to the Great Lakes Compact's ban diversion, to draw Lake Michigan water for its city water supply," Mayer noted. "The Waukesha application is seen as a big test of the Compact."

(Inset photo of Alex Mayer courtesy Michigan Tech University)

Click here to see the IJC news release about the new report.

Click here for the new IJC report.

Heikinpäivä 2016 to offer parade, races, rides, art, music, dance, more -- Jan. 29-31

Kids line up for a kicksled race during Heikinpäivä 2015. (Keweenaw Now file photos)

HANCOCK -- Whether your favorite Heikinpäivä event is the parade, the wife-carrying contest, Tori shopping and snacks or music and dance, this last week of Hancock's mid-winter festival will offer fun-filled events for the whole family.

Here is the Schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 29-31:

Friday, Jan. 29:

3 p.m. -- Presentation by Consul General Jukka Pietikainen, Jutila Center Chapel, Hancock. Sponsored by the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce - Upper Michigan Chapter.

7 p.m. -- Nyckelharpa concert with Cheryl Paschke and Jaana Tuttila of the Finn Hall Band ... and more! Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Hancock.

Saturday, Jan. 30:

Carol Williams sells her lovely hand-crafted jewelry at the Tori (market) in the First United Methodist Church, Hancock, during Heikinpäivä 2015.

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. -- Tori Market, Finnish American Heritage Center and First United Methodist Church, Hancock.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  -- Vipukelkka (Whipsled), kicksleds, mölkky, World's Largest Kicksled, more! Quincy Green.

Kids enjoy riding the vipukelkka (whipsled) during Heikinpäivä.

Another ride option will be a sled-dog ride around the perimeter of the Quincy Green. A team from Otter River Kennels will be offering folks a sampling of what it’s like to be mushed along the trail in a true dogsled race. These rides will be starting from the area of the Green nearest the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC).
  
11 a.m. -- Parade, downtown Hancock. Line up at BRIDGE School at 10:30 a.m. Prizes.

"The Bear Rolls Over" is the tradition marking the middle of winter and the reason for the Heikinpäivä celebration.

Following parade -- Wife-carrying contest and kicksled races, Quincy Green. Prizes.*

Saturday music performances in Finnish American Heritage Center:

10 a.m. - 11 a.m. -- Finn Aire

11:30 - Noon -- Duo Nyckelharpa

Noon - 12:30 p.m. -- Kivajat Dancers

The Kivajat youth dancers perform Finnish folk dances in the gallery at the Finnish American Heritage Center during Heikinpäivä 2015. At right is their teacher, Kay Seppala.

12:30 p.m. –  1:30 p.m. -- Tanja Stanaway
 
1:30 p.m. –  2:30 p.m. -- Finn Hall Band
 
3 p.m. -- Polar Bear Dive, Hancock waterfront. $5 fee for competing divers; $1 all others.

3 p.m. -- Closing reception for "Art from the Kalevala," Community Arts Center, Hancock. (See notice in our right-hand column.)

7 p.m. -- Heikinpäivä iltamat (hors d’oeuvres and dance), live music, Finnish American Heritage Center.

7:30 p.m. -- Consul General Jukka Pietikäinen bestows honors from the Republic of Finland upon two prominent Finnish Americans.

Sunday, Jan. 31:

2 p.m. -- Finn Hall Dance, Eagles Hall, South Range.

* Click here to see our videos from last year's Heikinpäivä.

Houghton County Dems endorse Lon Johnson, candidate for Michigan's 1st District Congressional seat

Following their Jan. 6 monthly meeting, Houghton County Democrats join Lon Johnson, candidate for Congress in Michigan's 1st District, for supper at the Library restaurant in Houghton. Johnson is seated third from left facing table, next to Rep. Scott Dianda. (Photo courtesy Houghton County Democratic Party)

HOUGHTON -- Lon Johnson, candidate for Congress in Michigan's 1st District, attended the Jan. 6 meeting of the Houghton County Democratic Party and was present for a vote on whether to endorse his candidacy in the August primary. The vote to endorse Johnson was unanimous, with one abstention. Also attending the meeting was candidate Jerry Cannon's Campaign Manager Jessie Handley, who read a personal letter from Gen. Cannon to the group before the vote.

Primary endorsements are unusual for local parties, including Houghton County Democrats. Vice-chair for Communications Brian Rendel in December asked the party to hold a January endorsement vote because he is concerned about waiting for the state primary in August. A late primary leaves little time to lend much local coordinated support in this unusually expansive district.

"There is no question that Johnson's impressive efforts dwarf Gen Cannon's," Rendel said of Johnson's 1000 endorsements by party leaders and activists around the district, frequent visits around the district to meet people, and over a half million dollars he raised through December.

Lon Johnson: Line 5 oil spill may be Michigan’s next water crisis

TRAVERSE CITY -- Congressional Candidate Lon Johnson has warned that the same inaction from politicians in Lansing that led to the water crisis in Flint could result in a disastrous oil spill in the Great Lakes. He recently renewed his call for the Line 5 pipeline to be shut down unless independent review can prove it is 100 percent safe.

"I see too many unfortunate parallels between the ongoing water crisis in Flint and the ticking time bomb that is the Line 5 pipeline running beneath our Mackinac Straits," Johnson said. "For months now, politicians in Lansing have assured us that this 60-year-old pipeline poses no risk of a leak, despite there never having been independent inspection. How are we to entrust our health and the health of the Great Lakes to a government that only acts after disaster is upon us?

"Now it's clear that Lansing knew much more than it let on about the dangerous levels of lead in Flint's water. The same politicians who told worried Flint residents to 'relax' back in July now swear up and down that the Line 5 pipeline is secure. I'm sure we can agree that Lansing politicians have lost all measure of credibility.

"Trust must now give way to vigilance. The time is now to shut down Line 5 until it’s proven independently to be safe. The impact of an oil leak from this aging pipeline upon our health, economy and wildlife is immeasurable and too important to be risked."*

Former Congressman Bart Stupak endorses Johnson

TRAVERSE CITY -- On Jan. 5 Lon Johnson, Democratic Congressional candidate for Michigan’s 1st District,  announced the endorsement of former Congressman Bart Stupak -- the 1,000th public supporter of Johnson's campaign.

"I support Lon Johnson because he will work to create a U.P. and Northern Michigan where our families can stay and succeed," said Stupak. "Lon is the best candidate to represent a district that I know well and hold close to my heart."

Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, represented Michigan’s 1st Congressional District for 18 years, retiring in 2010.

"I’m honored to have the endorsement of such a leader as former Congressman Stupak," Johnson said.

Dozens of current and former leaders have endorsed Johnson, including state legislators, local elected officials, and Democratic party leaders from throughout the 1st Congressional District. A complete list of supporters is available at LonJohnson.com.**

* Click here to see a new documentary about the Line 5 Pipeline.

** See also our Dec. 14, 2015, article, "Candidate Lon Johnson gains support, endorsements for Michigan's 1st Congressional District primary race."

Save the Wild U.P.: "Flint is not a fluke"

From Save the Wild U.P. 

MARQUETTE -- Grassroots environmental group Save the Wild U.P. (SWUP) is calling on the Obama Administration to appoint an individual with proven leadership experience in environmental protection to fill the top position at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 5 headquarters, following the resignation of EPA Administrator Susan Hedman on Thursday, Jan. 21.

"This situation is urgent and new leadership is critical," said Alexandra Maxwell, SWUP’s executive director. "The EPA needs a leader with an environmental track record, not a career administrator or an industry insider. All Hedman did was throw the problem back at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Meanwhile, an entire city was being poisoned."

In December, MDEQ Director Dan Wyant resigned his position as the scope of the water crisis was revealed.

"What has happened in Flint is egregious," said Michelle Halley, Marquette attorney and advisory board member for Save the Wild U.P. "The public who relies upon their elected officials and the agencies they oversee should know that the problems do not stop in Flint. The same attitude of disregard for citizens and the environment has repeated itself in DEQ decisions across our state for well over a decade."

Halley noted the EPA watched while this happened in Michigan, but they did nothing.

"Flint is not a fluke," said Halley. "Flint reflects the failure of values and lack of thoroughness that has become habitual with Michigan politicians and environmental regulators."

Kathleen Heideman, Save the Wild U.P. president, said she was not surprised by Hedman's resignation.

"I’m afraid the problems in Flint are just the tip of the iceberg," Heideman said. "EPA Region 5 has been turning a blind eye to environmental degradations happening right here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, as well. For years, we’ve been calling on the EPA for transparency, accountability and enforcement actions."

In 2015, Save the Wild U.P. brought water quality and permitting problems to the attention of the Environmental Protection Agency -- specifically, discharges of industrial wastewater to the Salmon Trout River (from Eagle Mine), and the Middle Branch of the Escanaba River (from the Eagle Mine’s Humboldt Mill). SWUP petitioned the EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board to uphold the Clean Water Act. The group also requested the veto authority of the EPA over wastewater discharges at the Humboldt Mill, which are known to pollute riparian wetlands of the Middle Branch of the Escanaba River.*

According to Gail Griffith, professor emeritus of chemistry at Northern Michigan University and Save the Wild U.P. board member, "When it comes to water quality, mining companies view the U.P. as a Third-World economy; Lundin Mining called us a 'low-risk jurisdiction' when they purchased the Eagle Mine, referring to our historical experience with mining, the complicity of state regulators, and the EPA’s lack of interest in our environmental problems."

Jeffery Loman, former federal oil regulator and Save the Wild U.P. advisory board member, noted the incompetence of both federal and state regulatory agencies.

"It took the poisoning of hundreds of poor children to demonstrate that the leaders of both EPA Region 5 and Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality were incapable of properly managing those organizations. Why did it take a catastrophe after we provided an abundance of evidence over the last 5 years demonstrating that they were inept?" Loman said. "The EPA has been too busy commemorating, celebrating and congratulating -- mostly themselves -- to care about enforcing water quality."

Maxwell added SWUP simply asks for new, competent leadership.

"Michigan and the Great Lakes deserve real environmental leadership," she said. "We look forward to establishing a positive working relationship with EPA Region 5 in 2016."

Founded in 2004, Save the Wild U.P. is a grassroots environmental organization dedicated to preserving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan's unique cultural and environmental resources. For more information contact info@savethewildup.org or call (906) 662-9987. Get involved with SWUP’s work at savethewildup.org on Facebook at facebook.com/savethewildup or on Twitter @savethewildup.

* See our August 2, 2015, article on citizen concerns about wastewater discharges from the Humboldt Mill.

Heikinpäivä mid-winter festival offers family fun, classes, music, dance in Hancock

Members of Hancock's Finnish Theme Committee lead the 2015 Heikinpäivä Parade. See more photos from last year's Heikinpäivä celebration in our Heikinpäivä 2015 slide show. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HANCOCK -- Finnishness is at a fever pitch in the Copper Country as the Heikinpäivä mid-winter festival gets underway in Hancock with opportunities for the whole family.

A great way to get the entire family ready for Heikinpäivä is to come to Family Fun Night at 6:30 p.m. TONIGHT, Friday, Jan. 22, at the Finnish American Heritage Center. Kids of all ages (4 – 94) will have a grand time doing traditional Finnish song games, taught by Kay Seppala. In addition, instructors from Salolampi Finnish Language camp will lead families in organized learning through play activities. Refreshments will be provided. Reservations are requested, but not required. $5 per family. Call 523-6271.

Then, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24, the Heikinpäivä Hymn Sing and Concert takes place at Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock. This is a wonderful opportunity for folks of Finnish descent to enjoy many of the hymns that have been familiar in Finnish congregations of the area for decades. The Hymn Sing is free and open to the public.

Classes Monday at Zion Lutheran Church, Hancock

Monday, Jan. 25, includes a full slate of enrichment classes, all of which take place at Zion Lutheran Church. For $10 per person, per class, you can learn Finnish folk music techniques, gluten-free baking, or arm knitting.

Ralph and Jaana Tuttila of Minneapolis, Minnesota are this year’s Heikinpäivä artists in residence, and as their first order of business they’ll be providing instruction in playing Finnish folk music in their course "Finnish Folk Music -- Many Voices." The class will be offered at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday. $10 per person. The Tuttilas are known well for their work with the Minnesota-based Finn Hall Band, which has performed in the Copper Country numerous times.

Ralph and Jaana Tuttila of Minneapolis, Minnesota are this year’s Heikinpäivä artists in residence. (Photo courtesy Ralph and Jaana Tuttila)

Also at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, Edith Mäki, the longtime proprietor of Spice of Life Bakery in Hancock, will teach folks how to bake gluten-free items. Using the "from scratch" techniques for which she’s been known for years, Edith will share some tips on how to provide some tasty treats that every one of your friends and family will enjoy. $10 per person.

And, new to the festival this year, Painesdale resident Terri Taavola Wuorinen will lead a course in arm knitting at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. To take this class, you’re asked to bring two skeins of No. 6 yarn. Even if you’ve never knitted before, you’ll surely learn this technique in short order and begin crafting your own original items.

Advance registration for Heikinpäivä enrichment classes is appreciated. To sign up for your favorite classes -- and to register your friends at the same time -- call 482-1413.

Heikinpäivä concert to feature unique folk instrument

It’s been played by folk musicians for more than 600 years, but the nyckelharpa isn’t an instrument that’s a regular part of the music scene in the Copper Country.
Until now.

Minnesota-based musicians Jaana Tuttila and Cheryl Paschke, both members of the Finn Hall Band, will perform a variety of tunes on the nyckelharpa -- which is actually Sweden’s national instrument -- at a 7 p.m. concert Friday, Jan. 29, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hancock.

The nyckelharpa or "key fiddle," has strings similar to a violin's, which produce tones by the drawing action of a bow. Evidence suggests the first nyckelharpas may have arrived from Germany as early as the 14th century. Both Jaana Tuttila and Paschke have played the instrument for a number of years, in solo performances and as part of the Finn Hall Band as a whole.

Dance Lessons

JaanaTuttila and her husband, Ralph, are this year’s Heikinpäivä artists-in-residence. Their Finnish folk music course next Monday (see above) will include lessons on the nyckelharpa. They will also offer dance lessons -- Finnish tango and humppa -- at 6 p.m.  Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Finnish American Heritage Center. $10 a person. They’re also planning to make visits to area schools to introduce the next generation to the folk music traditions.

For more information about the concert, or any aspect of Heikinpäivä, call (906) 487-7549 or find Heikinpäivä on Facebook. For the full schedule click here. More details on Heikinpäivä 2016 coming soon ...

Rozsa to present "Pete Seeger: The Storm King" Jan. 22; Sound Installation to open in Rozsa Gallery Jan. 22

Pete Seeger World Café Show. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center)

HOUGHTON -- The Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts presents "Pete Seeger: The Storm King" -- an evening of live music, poetry and video with a look back at the great hero of 60s, his music, peace activism and the counterculture movement. This beautiful collection of recorded stories, narratives, and poems spoken by the late Pete Seeger and longtime protege, producer and drummer Jeff Haynes, is set to live, multi-genre music that enhances Seeger’s marvelous reminiscences. "Pete Seeger: The Storm King," comes to the Rozsa at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22.

See Jeff Haynes with Richie Stearns, Sara Milonovich, Sean Harkness, and Timothy Hill, in a multi-media presentation interwoven with recordings and video of the great Pete Seeger. This performance is based on the Grammy® nominated audio project conceived and produced by world-renowned, Grammy award winning percussionist and producer, Jeff Haynes.

Pete Seeger, right, with percussionist Jeff Haynes. (Photo © Richard Dorbin and courtesy Rozsa Center)

In this unique blend of spoken word, music, and video, Pete Seeger's spoken words will be piped in as Jeff Haynes and accompanying musicians perform a combination of new music and music written by or popularized by Pete Seeger -- featuring traditions as diverse as African Music, Blues, Bluegrass, Classical Guitar, Folk, Jazz, and East Indian Music -- and performances of some of Pete's songs that were inspired from his travels around the world.

Tickets are $22 for adults, $10 for youth. No charge for Michigan Tech students with the Experience Tech fee. Advance reserved seating is now available, please order tickets early! Tickets are available by phone at (906) 487-2073, online at Rozsa.mtu.edu, in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex, or at the Rozsa Box Office the evening of the performance. Please note the Rozsa Box Office only opens two hours prior to performances.

Noise Floor, a Sound Installation by Josh Loar, opens in Rozsa Gallery Friday, Jan. 22

Noise surrounds us. In the industrial world we are constantly bombarded with sounds, most of which we no longer even notice (the hum of compressor motors, the whine of routers, the whirr of hard drives, the roar of lawnmowers). Noise Floor is an interactive exhibit by artist Josh Loar, focused on the pervasive noise around us -- mechanical and cultural -- bringing into focus sounds that we normally shut out of our conscious minds.

A reception with the artist will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, in the Rozsa Gallery A-Space. The exhibit is free and open to the public and continues through Saturday, Jan. 30. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Saturdays.

Josh Loar, Michigan Tech professor of practice in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, is a multimedia artist and designer whose works have been featured in galleries and salons from NYC to Los Angeles. His design and music composition has been featured in countless stage shows, films, TV programs, theme parks and concerts. He is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, director, writer, painter, filmmaker, and all-around general artist type.

Finlandia Gallery to host International School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibit Jan. 21 - March 19

"Opportunities in Color," 2014, Digital Print by Amanda (Moyer) Rogers. A 2011 Finlandia alumna, Rogers now lives in Metro Detroit and works as marketing coordinator at Pewabic -- a non-profit historic ceramic studio located in Detroit. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University International School of Art and Design (ISAD) will present an alumni exhibit at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, from Jan. 21 to March 19, 2016.

An opening reception for the artists will take place at the gallery from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21. An artist talk will begin at 7:15 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

"Great Blue," Watercolor and Ink, 2015, by D.C. Wilson, a 2010 Finlandia alumna. Wilson now lives in Madison, Wis., where she is the Arts and Web Coordinator at a day center for adults with developmental delays. Wilson designs art projects and helps arrange gallery shows for her clients.

In the 17 years since the bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree program began at Finlandia University, 148 students have graduated in five concentration areas: Ceramic Design, Fiber Arts and Fashion Design, Integrated Design, Graphic Design and Digital Art, and Studio Arts.

The Alumni 2016 exhibit spotlights the current work of 20 Finlandia BFA graduates.

"Osteology," woodblock print book, three-page spread, by Bonnie Loukus. Finlandia graduate Loukus combines letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking and block printing to create limited edition books, cards, broadsides and prints. She currently works as Assistant Director at the Copper Country Community Arts Center in Hancock.

"Our graduates have moved to all parts of the world to pursue their careers in art," notes Gallery Director Carrie Flaspohler. "It is wonderful to see where their life journeys have taken them."

Flaspohler says Finlandia's ISAD alumni study and work as far away as South Korea and Oregon, while some continue to live and work in Hancock.

The Finlandia University Gallery is in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street, Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Michigan Tech Prof. Carol MacLennan to speak on "Mine Polluted Waters" at Carnegie Museum Jan. 19

Michigan Tech Professor Carol MacLennan will discuss "Mine Polluted Waters: What are our Options?" Tuesday, Jan. 19, at the Carnegie Museum. Click on image for larger version. (Poster courtesy Carnegie Museum)

HOUGHTON -- The Keweenaw Natural History Lecture Series at the Carnegie Museum will present "Mine Polluted Waters: What are our Options?" a lecture by Carol MacLennan, Michigan Tech professor of anthropology and Dept. of Social Sciences graduate director, on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Refreshments and introductions begin at 6:30 p.m., and the lecture and discussion will be from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Community Room downstairs.

Professor Carol MacLennan speaks about Torch Lake issues during the July 30, 2015, Keweenaw Geotour, "Copper Mining Waste of Lake Superior Today," on Michigan Tech's Research Vessel Agassiz. Bill Rose, Michigan Tech professor emeritus in geology, led the series of educational tours for the public last summer. Highlights of this tour included visits to the Gay and Torch Lake stamp sands. (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

The Keweenaw's experience with the Torch Lake Superfund Site and Area of Concern raises questions as to how we can better understand the mechanisms and government programs we have at our disposal to clean up our watered environment and prevent future pollution. What strategies have worked in other communities? How can we navigate complicated programs and technical issues in order to protect human health and restore the environment. This seminar and discussion will examine our history of pollution, untangle the various efforts to clean it up, and introduce some new ideas for addressing the issues.

Drone Catcher: "Robotic Falcon" can capture, retrieve renegade drones

Mo Rastgaar's drone catcher speeds toward its target drone. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University)

By Marcia Goodrich
Posted January 7, 2016, on Michigan Tech News
Reprinted with permission

In January 2015, a Washington, DC, hobbyist accidentally flew his DJI Phantom quadcopter drone over the White House fence and crashed it on the lawn.

Two years earlier, a prankster sent his drone toward German prime minister Angela Merkel during a campaign rally.

Small drones have also proven to be effective tools of mischief that doesn’t make the national news, from spying to smuggling to hacking. So when Mo Rastgaar was watching World Cup soccer and heard about snipers protecting the crowd, he doubted that they’d fully understood a drone’s potential.

"I thought, if the threat is a drone, you really don’t want to shoot it down -- it might contain explosives and blow up," Rastgaar said. "What you want to do is catch it and get it out of there."

Safe Drone Catcher

So Rastgaar, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Michigan Technological University, began work on a drone catcher, which could pursue and capture rogue drones that might threaten military installations, air traffic, sporting events -- even the White House.

It’s a deceptively simple system: a launcher that shoots a big net attached to a large drone by a string. The system can be autonomous, controlled by a ground-based human pilot or a combination of the two.

After an intruding drone is spotted, the drone catcher takes up the chase and fires the net at it from a distance of up to 40 feet. Because the net is so big and can be deployed so quickly, it can overwhelm even the fastest, most maneuverable small drone.

Once trapped, the intruder doesn’t have a chance, as illustrated in this video.

"It gets really entangled," Rastgaar said. "It’s not going anywhere."

Then the net swings down below the drone catcher, which ferries its cargo to a safe location.

Netted

"What makes this unique is that the net is attached to our catcher, so you can retrieve the rogue drone or drop it in a designated, secure area," Rastgaar explained. "It’s like robotic falconry."

Other members of the team who worked on this project are Evandro Ficanha, a research engineer working with Rastgaar, PhD student Guilherme Ribeiro and recent mechanical engineering graduates Ruiyu Kang and Dean Keithly.

Rastgaar and Ficanha have filed for a patent on this drone catcher system and think that it could have several potential applications -- from foiling spy drones, smugglers and terrorists to supporting federal regulations.

"The FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] has just announced that drones must be registered, and we think the catcher could help enforce the law by catching unregistered drones," Rastgaar said.

Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa is Jan. 15, 16

Nick Black of Momentum, a 9-piece horn band that will play during the Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15, 16. (Photo courtesy Rozsa Center)

HOUGHTON -- Time for a jazz check-up?  Dr. Mike’s Rx for indoor winter activities = Jazz: Creative, fresh, interactive, soothing, food for the soul, and nourishment for the ears. Join Jazz Studies Program Director Mike Irish and the Michigan Tech Jazz ensembles for two nights of Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday nights, Jan. 15-16.

Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa will administer the basic nutrients of swing, bebop, Latin, funk, soul, blues, and contemporary to heal anything that ails you.  Let these in-house musicians make your evening memorable, enjoyable and enriching. The Rozsa stage becomes a pop-up jazz club, and the intimate club atmosphere is a perfect setting for the "jazz-med staff," including Jaztec: A mainstream quintet that will stimulate all of your vital signs; Momentum: A 9-piece horn band providing the latest in soul treatments; and the Dan Fuhrman Trio:  They will get your blood pumping with adventurous takes on great jazz standards.

Tickets for Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa are on sale now: $13 for adults, $5 for youth, and no charge for Michigan Tech students with the Experience Tech fee. Tickets for Backstage at the Rozsa are limited, please order tickets early! Tickets are available by phone at (906) 487-2073, in person at the Central Ticketing Office in the Student Development Complex, or at the Rozsa Box Office the evening of the performance. Please note the Rozsa Box Office only opens two hours prior to performances.

Green Lecture Series to present Betsy Hartmann lecture on population, environment Jan. 14

Author and researcher Betsy Hartmann will speak on population and environment at the Green Lecture Thursday, Jan. 14, at Michigan Tech. (Photo courtesy Green Lecture Series)

HOUGHTON -- The Green Lecture Series will present "Rethinking the Links Between Population and Environment: Toward a More Hopeful Future" from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14, in B002 Hesterberg Hall and Forestry Atrium, in Michigan Tech's Forestry Building.

This event is free and open to the public.

Presenter Betsy Hartmann is professor emerita of development studies and senior policy analyst of the Population and Development Program at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Her research, writing, teaching, and lecturing focuses on the intersections between population, migration, environment and security issues. She is widely published in popular, policy, and scholarly venues. She is the author of Reproductive Rights and Wrongs: The Global Politics of Population Control and two political thrillers about the Far Right, The Truth about Fire, set in the Copper Country, and Deadly Election. She is the co-author of A Quiet Violence: View from a Bangladesh Village and co-editor of the anthology Making Threats: Biofears and Environmental Anxieties.

In spring 2015, Betsy was a Fulbright-Nehru Distinguished Chair in India where she lectured and did research on Indian and international population policy. She has consulted for the United Nations Environment Program and UN Women, and is the recipient of a 2012 Mesa Refuge Writing Residency in Point Reyes, Calif., to write about climate change. A long-standing activist in the international women’s health movement, she is known nationally and internationally for her work to challenge and reform population policy and promote reproductive and environmental justice. She received her B.A. magna cum laude in South Asian Studies from Yale University and her Ph.D. in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

Betsy lives in Amherst, Mass., where she is currently completing a book on apocalyptic thinking in the United States, provisionally titled The America Syndrome: Apocalypse and the Anxieties of Empire. The book will be published in Spring 2017 by Seven Stories Press in New York.

The event is sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative, Michigan Tech Center for Water and Society, Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, the Keweenaw Land Trust, and Michigan Tech's Department of Social Sciences.

Updated: Michigan Tech, NMU, Finlandia to commemorate Martin Luther King Day with special events

Michigan Tech University will commemorate Martin Luther King Day on Monday, Jan. 18, with a banquet and readings in local schools. Northern Michigan University will honor King with a March for Equality, presentations and service projects. Finlandia students will volunteer for community service. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech Center for Diversity and Inclusion)

HOUGHTON, MARQUETTE --  While university classes are cancelled for Martin Luther King Day -- the federal holiday marking King’s birthday -- on Monday, Jan. 18, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan universities will hold community events, including guest speakers, honoring the late civil rights leader. Finlandia students will volunteer for community service and attend an educational panel.

Michigan Tech to sponsor school readings, MLK Banquet

During the school day (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) on Monday, Jan. 18, Michigan Tech students, faculty, staff and community members will read books about the life and legacy of Dr. King to local school children. Houghton Elementary, Barkell Elemetary (Hancock) and TR Davis Elementary (Dollar Bay) are participating. 

Michigan Tech's 27th Annual MLK Banquet will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ball Room. The event, open to the public with free reservations, features a buffet dinner, musical performances from Tech's Momentum Jazz band, spoken word poetry and a keynote address from William P. Jones, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of the books The March on Washington: Jobs, Freedom and the Forgotten History of Civil Rights and The Tribe of Black Ulysses: African American Lumber Workers in the Jim Crow South.
 
Following the banquet, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the MUB Ballroom, there will be "Interfaith Insights and Prayers for a Beloved Community." The public is invited to join a group reading of different interfaith passages of peace. The event is held by the Cooperative Campus Ministry.

Tickets for the banquet are free and available by making an online reservation here.

NMU to mark MLK Day with March for Equality, service projects, more ...

At Northern Michigan University (NMU) in Marquette on Monday, Jan. 18,  an MLK March for Equality will begin at noon at the Payne/Halverson lobby and proceed to the Peter White Lounge of the University Center, where there will be food and speakers addressing race and diversity. Following the presentations, participants will engage in service projects, including book readings at the U.P. Children’s Museum and volunteering at the Salvation Army. In the Peter White Lounge, some will make blankets and knitted items that will be distributed to community organizations such as the Women’s Center, Harbor House and Room at the Inn. Others will make cards for veterans.

Author and motivational speaker Antoine Moss, known as the "Man of Inspiration," will deliver the keynote presentation at NMU at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, in the Cadillac/Brule Rooms of the University Center. Admission is free. Moss will address "Three Steps to Becoming Unstoppable with Your Purpose and Mission in Life." He will combine his passion and personal stories with the dreams and goals set forth by Martin Luther King Jr. Moss is the author of Learn to Intern CEO Style, based on his professional experience from internships with NASA, the FBI and the U.S. Congress. More recently, he partnered with Les Brown, George Fraser and other influential leaders to write an Amazon No. 1 bestseller, Mission Unstoppable: Extraordinary Stories of Failure’s Blessings.

NMU’s 20th annual Drag Show will culminate the week of equality at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, in Vandament Arena. Admission is free for NMU students and $5 for others. There is no reserved seating. NMU’s revitalized student group, OUTlook, will host the event.

For more information, contact the NMU Multicultural Education and Resource Center at 906-227-1554, or the NMU Volunteer Center at 906-227-2466.

Update: Finlandia students to offer community service on MLK Day

On Monday, Jan. 18, Finlandia University students will not have classes; but Finlandia student volunteers will be conducting community service at churches, non-profits, and schools in Hancock, Houghton, Chassell and Calumet. Tasks range from chopping wood for local elders to hanging elementary student art displays.

After an 11 a.m. brunch in the Finlandia Café, at noon students will board buses that will take them to various community service sites. They will return to campus for a snack in the Finnish American Heritage Center at 2:45 p.m., followed at 3 p.m. by an educational panel featuring six Finlandia faculty members who will examine the impact of Martin Luther King, Jr., through history, philosophy, religion, art, and literature.

Save the Wild U.P.: MDEQ needs real leadership in 2016

MARQUETTE -- Grassroots environmental group Save the Wild U.P. (SWUP) is calling on Governor Snyder to appoint an individual with proven experience in environmental protection to fill the leadership vacuum at Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), following Director Dan Wyant’s resignation. Wyant resigned, along with a top MDEQ public relations staffer, after a State Task Force blamed MDEQ for Flint’s water quality crisis.

"This situation is urgent and new leadership is critical," said Alexandra Maxwell, SWUP’s executive director. "The MDEQ needs a leader with an environmental track record, not a career administrator or an industry insider. The clock is ticking on a number of environmental permits currently under review by the MDEQ -- including a mine permit application for what could be Upper Michigan’s second sulfide mine."*

Maxwell added that the lack of MDEQ leadership means the task of defending clean water and wild places falls to grassroots organizations such as Save the Wild U.P., FOLK (Friends of the Land of Keweenaw), Front 40, and Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve.

In the case of the Flint crisis, that task has fallen to ordinary citizens whose lives and health depend on their water supply, noted Kathleen Heideman, SWUP president.

"At the highest level, MDEQ leaders have repeatedly failed to protect water quality in Michigan. The MDEQ can’t go on treating our priceless rivers like sewer pipes, useful only for flushing away wastewater discharges," Heideman said. "I applaud the concerned citizens in Flint who spoke out in order to sound the alarm about their contaminated water -- that’s grassroots activism. These ordinary citizens are truly heroes. It’s clear that the EPA only got involved in Flint because of citizen efforts, while the DEQ tried to cover up the problem."

Steve Garske, SWUP board member, said the Governor needs to do more than apologize.

"Michigan visitors, residents, and wildlife alike depend on clean water -- for everything from habitats to recreation to drinking water," Garske said. "The Governor has apologized for the DEQ’s failure to ensure that the city of Flint had a safe water supply, for disregarding the concerns of local citizens and denying there was a problem. Now we hope he gets serious about reorganizing the MDEQ so that it works for the people of this state, instead of benefiting the big corporate polluters they’re supposed to be regulating."

According to Jeffery Loman, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community tribal member and former federal oil regulator, Dan Wyant was hand-picked as MDEQ director for the very purpose of benefiting industry at the sake of the environment.

"Wyant was totally incapable of managing the agency," Loman said. "Snyder needs to be held accountable for appointing Wyant, just as he should now be held accountable for the egregious mismanagement of Flint’s water quality crisis."**

SWUP's Maxwell summed it up: "Our message to Governor Snyder is simple," she said. "In 2016, Michigan deserves real environmental leadership."

UPDATE: In a recent email, Gene Champagne of Concerned Citizens of Big Bay told Keweenaw Now that experience with the permitting process for the Eagle Mine has made him aware of the need for house cleaning in the upper echelons of state government and the MDEQ.

"The 'Flint Water Crisis' does not surprise people here in the UP who have witnessed first hand the current culture, as imposed by upper management, the MDEQ, our legislature, and our governor," Champagne said. "Those who have followed the permitting process for the Humboldt Mill and especially Eagle Mine have witnessed data manipulation and non-compliance for developing and enforcing the law and rules set forth in Part 632 of our state's mining laws. Perhaps now those with the authority to do so will take a serious look at what has already been presented to them, both in Flint and the UP, and clean house at the MDEQ. The citizens of this state need to know that MDEQ is there to protect them and the environment. Currently the DEQ makes a mockery of the permitting process to the benefit of the applicant at the expense of our children and grandchildren. My heart goes out to the residents, and especially the children, of Flint. I also feel for those at the MDEQ who are trying to do a good job, only to be overturned and given orders from the upper echelons."

Founded in 2004, Save the Wild U.P. is a grassroots environmental organization dedicated to preserving the Upper Peninsula of Michigan’s unique cultural and environmental resources. For more information contact info@savethewildup.org or call (906) 662-9987. Get involved with SWUP’s work at savethewildup.org on Facebook at facebook.com/savethewildup or on Twitter @savethewildup.

Editor's Notes:

* See "Environmentalists criticize proposed open-pit sulfide mine near Menominee River; MDEQ to hold Public Hearing Jan. 5," posted by Keweenaw Now on Jan. 4, 2016.

** See a video from Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show on Dec. 19, 2015: "Flint toxic water tragedy points directly to Michigan Gov. Snyder." 
See also this excellent article on Truth Out: "Brain Damage: Children Suffer the Consequences of Anti-Regulation in Michigan."

Letter: Support curbside recycling efforts

By David Hall, member,
Copper Country Recycling Initiative

To Keweenaw Now:

Thanks for the article about recycling here in Houghton County.* This region -- for too many years -- has been far behind the curve regarding recycling. We say we love this place, but DO we? Here on the Keweenaw Peninsula we recycle a paltry 5 percent of our waste stream while the national average is 34 percent. Some cities in the USA are approaching a 75 percent recycling rate!

A decent curbside recycling service removes about 50 percent of the volume of our waste stream now going to the landfill, thereby DOUBLING its lifespan! Each 6-10 acre "Cell" in OUR landfill costs 3.5 - 4 million dollars to build and a new one must be built every 7 years or so. When a Landfill Cell is full it must be monitored for many decades into the future for toxic waste and pollutants they inevitably create. This future cost is very expensive as well. We can easily do better than we are currently doing! It is a political choice to be wasteful and not recycle. Let's change this scenario!

Houghton and Hancock are renegotiating their Waste Collection contracts this spring, and our city councils have an opportunity to include a curbside recycling service for every household in both cities within these multi-year contracts.

It is great that Hancock has a curbside recycling system in place, and those who worked many years ago to make it happen should be thanked for their hard work. The City Council should be thanked for considering a modern recycling program in their future waste hauling contracts, one that is more comprehensive.

Hancock's system will not change unless they want to have a private recycler; e.g., one Wisconsin company would distribute two bins to every household, one for garbage and one for all recyclables, and the recycling would be collected bi-weekly most likely. If you read the MTU report by Richelle Winkler's class, the cost of such a program may actually cost LESS than Hancock is paying now and it would collect a lot more recycling than does the current program where most residents do not use it and the recycling rate is poor.** 

Currently, all of the recycling collected in Hancock (and Houghton too) is trucked to a company in Wisconsin, and Hancock PAYS $70/ton to give it to them.

We are hoping for a more REGIONAL scale for the recycling system with both Hancock and Houghton joining in a good system involving every household. We feel if such a system is in place it can only grow to neighboring localities. Recycling is essentially a mining operation, and the greater the concentration of resources the more viable it is economically. It is an economy of scale.

I urge all of you who wish to have a recycling program here to write or call your City Council members and express your support for a CURBSIDE RECYCLING SERVICE to be included in the upcoming contracts. You must act now if you wish to enact change. Our elected officials need to know they have public support for a recycling program, one that is long overdue. This contact information is listed below. Your call or letter WILL make a difference. Thanks for taking action.

David Hall
Houghton

* See "Michigan Tech students publish report on waste management, recycling in Houghton, Hancock, Michigan Tech."

** See pp. 38-40 of the report, "Waste and Recycling Programs in Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, and Michigan Technological University."

Addresses:

City of Houghton
616 Sheldon Ave.
Houghton, MI 49931
906-482-1700
City Manager: Eric Waara
citymanager@cityofhoughton.com

City of Hancock City Hall
399 Quincy Street
Hancock, MI 49930
906-482-2720 [phone]
906-482-7910 [FAX]
City Manager: Glenn Anderson
906-482-1121
cell: 906-458-9101
manager@cityofhancock.net

(Inset photo: David Hall. Photo courtesy David Hall)

Michigan Tech students publish report on waste management, recycling in Houghton, Hancock, Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech Professor Richelle Winkler, third from left, with members of her Fall 2015 Sociology of the Environment class, who worked together to publish the report, "Waste and Recycling Programs in Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, and Michigan Technological University." (Photo © and courtesy David Hall)

HOUGHTON --Graduate students at Michigan Tech have published a report that brings together information from multiple sources about how waste and recycling are handled in Houghton and Hancock so that decision-makers and community members can make informed decisions about managing waste. They presented this information at a forum and community discussion at Portage Library on Dec. 9, 2015. Since then the report and an executive summary have been posted on line.*

The report, "Waste and Recycling Programs in Hancock and Houghton, Michigan, and Michigan Technological University," is the work of Michigan Tech Professor Richelle Winkler's fall semester 2015 Sociology of the Environment class.

"The purpose of this report is to describe and assess waste and recycling programs available to residents of Hancock, Houghton, and at Michigan Technological University," Winkler states in the introduction to the report. 

The report begins with an executive summary that points out the need for reducing waste in the cities of Hancock and Houghton (including Michigan Technological University) and describes the recycling and composting programs now in existence in this area. These include the following:

• the curbside recycling program in Hancock**
• the drop-off recycling center at Waste Management in Houghton (now charging $4 per vehicle)
• a new cardboard recycling program at the Houghton County Transfer Station in Atlantic Mine***
• a recycling program at Michigan Tech
• a Michigan Tech composting program (yard waste and some food waste)
• some yard waste composting in Hancock and Houghton
• the diversion of special wastes such as e-waste, appliances, tires, batteries, and oil from household trash through a variety of private systems
• a state-sponsored bottle deposit system that collects and recycles aluminum beverage cans and glass bottles.

Local recycling opportunities "below average"

The executive summary of the report also calls attention to the fact that recycling opportunities in this area are below average. Not only is Hancock the only community in Houghton and Keweenaw counties with curbside recycling, but recycling rates in Houghton and Hancock are below both the Michigan average and the national average.

"Recycling rates in Houghton and Hancock are about 5 percent of the waste stream and Michigan Tech recycles about 14 percent, which is below Michigan’s state average (15 percent) and even more below the US national average (34 percent)," the executive summary states. "Recycling rates are well known to increase dramatically when regular curbside collection programs are in place. Moreover, not all drop-off programs are created equal -- those located in less convenient locations, with less convenient hours of operation, and/or greater fees are less likely to be utilized as much."*

In addition, Houghton County does not provide for convenient disposal of hazardous wastes such as pesticides, solvents, and other chemicals.

Benefits of Recycling

The executive summary notes that local recycling offers several environmental benefits, including "reducing the amount of energy required to extract and process raw materials, reducing pollution associated with landfills (leachate and methane emissions), reducing carbon emissions that contribute to global climate change, conserving resources for future generations, and encouraging the development of systems and technology for using resources efficiently."

The authors of the report mention some economic benefits for the community, such as money saved through lowered garbage tipping fees and fewer plastic garbage bags needed for households, but add that the environmental benefits of recycling motivate people more to recycle and improve recycling opportunities.

Recommendations

They mention several recommendations for that improvement: making recycling easy, simple and cheap with expanded curbside recycling and more convenient drop-off sites and hours; partnering and coordination between Houghton County and municipalities; including businesses and schools in solid waste planning and recycling programs; encouraging composting; informing the public about hazardous and e-waste and offering drop-off sites for these; holding waste reduction and recycling discussions with community and university leaders; encouraging reuse, trading and sharing and removing disposable options; promoting Michigan Tech as a sustainability leader and community partner in helping municipalities meet waste management and recycling goals.

Notes:

* Click here to access the report. The executive summary begins on p. vii.

** Visit the City of Hancock Web site to learn about their curbside recycling.

*** The cardboard recycling center opened on Jan. 4, 2016. Click here for info.