[Paddlewise] Environmental frustration

Those of you on Paddlewise that are familiar with my occasional essays
about my kayaking experiences will recognize the name of Lake Hudson. In a
state with as many lakes as Michigan, maybe it's not the nicest, but it's
wild, free from jetskis, and close to home. It's where I paddle most often.

So, as paddlers, you will probably share with me my anger at finding out that:

-- two months ago, a local farmer blithly dumped 400,000 gallons of liquid
cow manure into the stream that feeds the lake;

-- the so-called Michigan Department of Environmental Quality totally
screwed up their investigation of the matter, the management of the crisis,
and now plans no enforcement or punitive action against the farmer;

-- and that the DEQ did their best to cover up the incident, rather than
making the health hazard public. It was more than a month before the local
health department was notified. 

The health department hasn't done that well, either. They have been
stonewalling me on the reports on coliform bacteria counts from tests taken
since the manure got into the lake. Worse, they've been stonewalling the
manager of the state park that surrounds the lake. I happen to edit the
local newspaper, and they've got me mad. If I don't get some results right
quick, I'm going to have independant tests done and should have a nice
story that I really wish I didn't have. I did get an under-the-table,
unpublishable report today that bacteria counts have now been reduced to a
safe level (six inches of rain in the past three weeks helping), but that
they were holding off on the report until they were sure it was safe. That
sure makes a nice cover-up that doesn't do much for the public health of
those of us that have been, without a word of warning, fishing, kayaking,
and even swimming out there since the manure hit the lake.

Lovely state, Michigan, with it's "right to farm" laws. A local car dealer
commented to me today, "I could wind up doing hard time in this state if I
spill a gallon of anti-freeze, but some farmer can dump 400,000 gallons of
manure into the lake and not even get a slap on the wrist."

There's probably not much anyone on Paddlewise can do -- except listen to
me venting about it, and it's a fight that I'll have to deal with locally.
The fat guy is hot, and this ain't over with yet. But, I have learned one
thing -- we slide along, figure that someone else is dealing with the
problem, and it doesn't happen.

-- Wes

-- Who would really rather be writing about the kayak demo night he
attended, and who maybe will get around to it sooner or later.

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************