I saw that 60 Minutes as well, Steve. It was the Two Elks Lodge in Vail that got torched back in 1998(apparently some concern over lynx habitat was that stated motivation). For anyone interested, here's a link listing the crimes that ELF(and ALF)have officially taken credit for since their founding in 1992. At least 2 of them were in the U.P. Another in Rhinelander. Some of their early actions were committed against the U.S. Forest Service.
ELF/ALF Crime List
I see that Tony Knowles has followed Idaho's governor in filing suit against the recent roadless initiative for the Tongass and Chugach National Forests. "I am directing my attorney general to file suit against this illegal and ill-advised executive fiat to preserve the integrity of the planning process," he's quoted as saying. Apparently Clinton's stroke of the pen overrode an Alaskan plan that took 10 years of local study and public comment to complete. It seems understandable to me why Knowles, Murkowski and other officials might be a bit upset.

Sandy: I remember reading somewhere awhile back that cats are the culprits most responsible for declining songbird populations in the U.S. I can't remember if Audubon was the newssource for that ornithological factoid or some other bird watching group. Glad to see you've solved your technical difficulties with K-Today and are posting again.

Sandy,
Interesting post. Evidently Keweenaw County has suffered a significant economic downturn in recent months. Last spring, according to several accounts, the Keweenaw was experiencing a labor shortage second only to that in Silicon Valley. Some even went so far as to say that Black Bear would not be able to find local help and would have to import foreign labor. I wonder how much of the hill traffic is being captured by the Lac La Belle lodge as pass-by? I am betting it 50% plus. I wouldn't be surprised if it's 75%. I have heard reports from businesses in the Harbor that have conducted their own infomal polls. It seems that they are seeing a significat increase in business due to the hill.
A week ago Sunday 60 Minutes has a bit about the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and their reckless fire bombing of a ski hill. I though I heard that occured in BC, but I could be wrong...

Noticed a couple of questions as to ski-hill employment in the Rantings. Last night at the Advisory Board meeting Jim Rempel, GM at the hill, said there were close to 30 employees on payroll. I've asked for a breakdown as to wages and origin of workers when he has a chance to pull it together, but they are understandably very busy so patience seems indicated.

In a year like this, when snow everywhere takes the snowmobile visits down, ANYTHING that brings bodies (and $) to Keweenaw is a blessing. Folks tend to think in terms of 'businesses', but they are made up of employees, people trying to make a living. If something is 'good for business', it is by definition good for all because of ripple effect.

It would be interesting if some of the business owners would comment on ski-hill impact on their operations.

Also noticed a question re: bird watchers owning cats. I don't think there are many more dedicated bird watchers and feeders than we are. (See my post on KT re: our new feeding station). We have a large, self-sufficient, furry cat who is our rodent control specialist (many of you have met Twit) who also enjoys hunting over a bait-pile (feeders). Our experience is that he seldom harvests a bird (they're not dumb) but I think there is no place in nature that is safe and it is not a bad thing for the little kids to be kept wary. The phrase 'the quick and the dead' is no metiphor. And the quick are those who should pass their genes to future generations. Mother is rigorous in her selection! And the cottontail and Little Shoes continue to tease each other! If you're tired of bluejays eating all the feed in your feeders, give them a separate area with corn ($4.85/50#) and some black oil, and they'll leave the other areas alone. This also applies to grackels and starlings, and they have to eat also.

Dan, I believe the meeting is tomorrow night, Monday, at 6:30. Looking forward to it.

MT BOHEMIA ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT
6:30PM IN THE YURTS AT THE MOUNTAIN

Having read the DMG news-piece on Bart Stupak's concern about possible "continued" and/or "new drilling" in the Lake Superior Basin for new oil/gas supply, I have to confess I didn't know there was already such drilling underway.
Anyone out there have any info on where, for what specifically, and for how long?
Is OPEC's recent statement on coming oil supply(and thus prices)a reaction to GW's stated energy policy?
Why didn't the Clinton/Gore administration ever develop a Comprehensive Energy Policy while we were bathing in high-tech moolah?
AND THEN THERE'S "IT", A POSSIBLE REVOLUTIONARY TRANSPORTATION DEVICE THAT MIGHT HELP REDUCE ENERGY COSTS IN OUR BIG CITIES...
Makes you wanna say hmmmm....

And if we return to the subject of the land swap, which did not happen, does anyone recall hearing anything about the economic impact to local school districts--what kind of dollar and cents impact would a land swap have had on our children's education?

Obviously, if one reads Mr. Stupak's words posted earlier, one learns that 25% of timber sales goes to the local units of government, school districts.

I remember much talk about numbers of acres in one county versus numbers of acres in another county. I don't recall hearing anything how it would have affected our local school districts.

I recall the Gazette taking the DNR to task, or a part of the DNR to task for supposedly defeating the swap. Reminds me of reading of various environmental groups filing some lawsuit because some governmental agency hasn't studied some area of ground in depth to discover the complete habitat of the stinky stickweed, "an endangered species." This, of course, before any thought of exports of popsicles to China can be considered.

Anyone? Anyone recall any economic studies, environmental impact groups, any other findings that looked at the impact to that other endangered species that also needs protection, our children?

It's just that I have a feeling we'll hear more about land swaps.

Walt's question:
"So if Keweenaw County has seen a large increase in private investment in the form of new construction, then what is that new construction, new homes (and I preseume many are non-Homestead=higher taxes) being taxed? Anyone?"

New developed properties (homes, ski hills,etc.) are taxed at their SEV value. (i.e., their taxable value is 100% of their SEV.) Remember, SEV's are supposed to be 50% of current "market value". After the first year the increases in the taxable values of these newly developed properties are capped at the 5% or less like everyone else.

Also, when owership changes, or properties are improved, (expanded, remodeled, etc.) the taxable value is supposed to be increased to the SEV.

All this might seem like a bonanza for taxing jurisdictions, especially in a place with a lot of new development, like Keweenaw County. However, thanks to the Headlee amendment (1978), the total take from old and new properties is also limited. Unless it gets its voters to approve extra millage levy, a taxing jurisdiction , such as Keweenaw County, has to reduce its tax rate (millage)if the annual aggregate rate of increase in SEV (exclusive of new construction) exceeds the CPI.

More about this later.

If you scroll down to January 2nd, 6:50 am, you would see that I asked a question that apparently nobody has the answer to, or if they do, they are unwilling to share that information with us.

I've found part of the answer.(I've yet to receive an answer to a letter I sent to a governmental official on this.)

My previous post included a statement by Mr. Stupak. I believe this was a written statement entered into the record. Mr. Stupak also spoke, in part, as follows:

Also, Mr. Chairman, we fail to recognize that local communities benefit when we do have cutting on National Forests because 25 percent of the money that is generated off the timber sales go into local units of government, into PILT payments, and for local taxes to provide for the schools, to provide for emergency management, to provide for the local government services that we need.
So, it is reported that if this policy goes into effect, that 25 percent really represents $160 million in revenue at local school boards, road commissions, that everybody else would lose.

So to answer my own question posted at the beginning of the year, which nobody had an answer to, or was unwilling to post an answer, 25% of those timber sales returns to the local area. Anyone have any idea where the other 75% goes?

Jeff,
The following is from a 1999 OVERSIGHT HEARING ON U.S. FOREST SERVICE ROAD MORATORIUM:

STATEMENT OF HON. BART STUPAK, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN
Madame Chair, thank you for holding this hearing today and for allowing me the opportunity to offer my comments on this important issue. As I testified before this Committee last year on this matter, I have a number of concerns regarding the Forest Service's roads moratorium. This moratorium undermines years of hard work in our national forests and threatens forest health, jobs in the forest industry and our local communities.
First, I am very concerned that the moratorium on forest roads will undermine the hard work by our local citizens and subvert agreements that have been reached in managing our Federal lands. In Michigan, a number of parties from all sides of the forestry debate spent years negotiating a management agreement for two national forests in my district, the Ottawa and Hiawatha. A moratorium on new forest roads could jeopardize these agreements, as well as countless others like it around the nation. Instead of allowing regional foresters and local citizens to determine how their forests should be managed, a bureaucratic decision has been made in Washington, DC to impose this moratorium on the entire nation.
Second, this moratorium could have an adverse effect on forest health. Since 1991, more trees die and rot each year in national forests than is sold for timber. This new policy will only increase this trend, promoting the outbreak of disease and creating fuel for forest fires. The Forest Service itself estimates that 40 million acres of its forest are at great risk of being consumed by catastrophic wildfire, the majority of which are located in roadless areas. Without the ability to conduct proper forest management activities, the risk of disease outbreak and forest fires increases dramatically.
Page 18 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC
Thirdly, the roads moratorium could have a significant impact on jobs in the forest industry. According to information provided by the Administration last year, more than 12,000 jobs could be lost as a result of this policy. In my district, which already suffers from high unemployment, the forest industry is one of my top employers. I am very concerned that this moratorium on road building will also cause a moratorium on forest industry jobs.
In addition, this policy could harm the environment on state and private lands. In order to meet the terms of contracts, timber companies will be forced to seek alternative sources of wood to replace the timber that is restricted by the moratorium. As a result, the pressure will increase to cut more timber on state and private lands, possibly threatening the environment on these lands. Placing a blanket, national moratorium may stop road building on Federal lands, but in exchange, it could severely threaten the environment on state and private lands.
Finally, the moratorium could also have a drastic effect on our local communities. By law, counties with national forest lands receive payments equaling 25 percent of gross Federal timber revenues. These payments are used by county governments, districts and school boards for education programs and road maintenance. The Forest Service has been reported to have estimated that this policy could result in the loss of $160 million in revenue—a conservative estimate at best. At a time when the PILT program remains woefully underfunded, local communities may be the hardest hit by this moratorium.
Madame Chair, in closing, I would like to touch upon one last, important point. Many of the arguments surrounding these discussions focus on the environmental impact and economic viability of timber programs. While these are certainly important issues, I am afraid that lost in this debate is the impact a roads moratorium would have on working families and rural communities.
As I have stated before, our forests are a vital part of our economy and livelihood in my congressional district. With three national forests in my district, thousands of working families literally rely on these forests to put food on the table. Many people think of the timber industry as giant businesses that slash and clear cut forests simply for profit. The truth is, however, that the majority of people in the timber industry are family businesses—''mom and pop'' operations that are struggling to make ends meet and that truly care about our forests and environment.
Page 19 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC
While attempts to cut forestry programs on our national forests may be made in the name of environmental protection or aimed at large corporations, that is not where their impact is felt the most.Not only do these cuts negatively impact forest health, but they also hurt our counties, our schools, our road programs, our emergency services, and our working families. We, and our forests, can ill afford to continue down this path.
Again, thank you, Madame Chair, for holding this hearing on this important issue. I hope that we can reconsider this ill-advised policy and, instead, work to address the problem of forest health in the future in a more effective and reasonable manner.

The following information came from:
http://www.freep.com/jobspage/academy/tax.htm

TAXABLE VALUE
Until 1994, property was valued, for tax purposes, at half its market value. This was called its State Equalized Value, or SEV. (No more abbreviations. We promise.)
In 1994, Michigan voters passed Proposal A. That shifted some of the tax burden off property and onto the sales tax, which rose from four cents on the dollar to six.
Proposal A also limited the growth of property tax assessments. Now, we don't use SEV. We use ``taxable value.''
The taxable value will be the lowest number out of these four:
; This year's SEV
; Last year's taxable value plus 5 percent
; Last year's taxable value plus inflation
; Last year's taxable value times this year's SEV divided by last year's. (Whew! That got a little confusing, didn't it?)
What you really need to know is that this formula can keep taxable value from growing as fast as property value. It limits the growth in taxable value to 5 percent a year or less.

So if Keweenaw County has seen a large increase in private investment in the form of new construction, then what is that new construction, new homes
(and I preseume many are non-Homestead=higher taxes) being taxed? Anyone?

Why would Keweenaw County be considered poor?

Jeff,
I don't know how exactly the federal forests in the U.P. will be affected. I think 69,000 acres of Michigan forests are open to loggin each year.
All indications are that the forest roads are being used less for logging, and more for recreation. As it is, there are roads. I'll do some checking.

Idaho's Republican governor has filed a State suit against Clinton's roadless initiative on the grounds that some of that federal land would block access to state land whose timber harvests are used to help fund the Idaho public school system. One column I read remarked that there is local-level bipartisan anger at the outgoing president "for setting aside federal land by fiat, without holding public hearings or conducting significant economic and environmental impact reports on how the set-asides would affect the local economies".
Does anyone know of any specific U.P. forest land that was effected by Clinton's recent executive order?

George,
I'm not sure who is "poor" in Keweenaw County. In your letter (to Mr. Peterson, I think) of March,2000, you wrote:


It also is readily apparent that these many individual and privately paid for property developments have had, and will continue to have, a positive impact on growth of taxable resources in our County. Taxable values in Keweenaw County rose over 8% in the last year alone, some $4.2 million. Much of this is new construction. And most of the rest valuation increases induced by these private investments.

I don't know how that kind of increase in taxable value relates to "poor". But from my perspective, and knowing the population of Keweenaw, and having passed outside some of the "seasonal homes" in Keweenaw County, I would have to say that if the county is "poor" they have no one to blame but themselves?

Walt: Interestingly enough, the U.P. is one of if not the largest songbird nesting sanctuary in America, but who goes birdwatching in November? Perhaps Audubon is referring to those places where hunters may be in proximity with annual waterfowl migration stopovers? In any case, it's not wise for them to be ruffling their feathers at the deer hunting constituency whose financial(and athletic) contributions to healthy wildlife maintenance are an important part of the whole conservation movement(one of whose founding fathers by the way, Aldo Leopold, was both an avid hunter and birdwatcher).
George: I too would be interested in that Keweenaw County tax data and how it's interpreted. The county is both small in area and sparsely populated so if it is the "poorest" in gross tax revenue it wouldn't be too surprising.

County officials say Keweenaw County is the "poorest county in Michigan."

What is the basis for that claim? Are we "poor" because of lowest household incomes, "poor" because of least taxable value per capita, or "poor" because we have chosen to be "poor"? (i.e., lowest tax revenue per capita - voters continually reject county millage increase proposals.)

Anyone know the source and basis of the "poorest" claim?

Steve,
If you're a hunter, you should be offended by the use of the Audubon Society's use of orange vests in their campaign against the Hunting Heritage Protection Act.

In their ad (and I think they mailed this to every member of Congress) they display an orange vest with the words:Planning a family trip to a national wildlife refuge? Better Pack This.

They oppose the HHPA. They claim it would provide emphasis on hunting. The HHPA would protect hunting. If public land in one area was closed, a like amount elsewhere would need to be opened.

In an e-mail, a member said, "The conservation community is united in opposition."

This is untrue as I have seen a list of at least 60 groups, among them Commemorative Bucks of Michigan and Whitetails Unlimited. And there are many hunters in favor of the bill. And as we know, hunters have been conservationists, providing millions, if not billions of dollars, to conservation efforts for decades.

So access is never a given. The Audubon Society's actions suggests there is will always be a non-profit group trying to deny access, or trying to fight a bill that would guarentee access for another group.

I believe the intent of federal forests (anyway) was to provide a timber resource, not an area for hunting, or bird-watching. Hunters pay fees and taxes that help support the land. What kind of fee is there for bird watching?

Thanks to Steve and Jean. I enjoy learning new words(especially ones with this kind of poetic potential). I will however refrain from defining fluck for you.

Dear Jeff I took the challenge and looked up flark and here is what I found.

Flark: A Swedish term referring to limited, usually elongated, wet areas of exposed peat having an
algal film and sometimes a sparse cover of sedges. The flark may be several hundred meters in
length. On sloping sites flarks are narrow, being only a few meters wide but on horizontal peatland
they may be a hundred or more meters wide. The flark axis is always perpendicular to direction of
the contours. Synonym of mare (French-Canadian), rimpi (Finnish), and kulju.

Jeff,
Flooded flarks, man. Check out a wetlands science text.
Walt,
I am always offend by have to wear orange when I hunt.

Pardon my parsimony, Steve:
Flark?
FLARK?
What in the fluck is a flark?

ps: Free Speech, whether secular or religious, is guaranteed in this country and always has been. Those who say you can't express your thoughts(whether scientific or mystical) freely in the public sphere, are just plain unconstitutional(and by the way, thought-police, we have modern remedies for constipation such as yours at every corner drugstore nowadays. Check it out!).

The Audubon Society claims to support access to public lands for hunting. This claim is made while they oppose the Hunting Heritage Protection Act.

I don't know if the evangelists at the Audubon Society have ever spent time in the U.P. But I'm one hunter that takes offense at their use of the orange vests. Here's a case of a "non-profit" organization (like a church) being a political voice. Who said the church couldn't speak?

.http://www.audubon.org/campaign/hunting/index.html

Jeff,
Check out some of Earth First!'s antics. Better yet, check out Clinton's proposal to restrict fishing in the Bering Sea to protect the Stellar Sea Lion and his new roadless policy in the Tongass. Literally, every community in the Aleutians East Borough and nearly every community in southeast AK will go away if/when these policies take effect.
To the extremeists, one flooded flark is worth more that one human life.
Walt,
I doubt you want the Nature Conservancy to own the Keweenaw. May as well give it to the Forest Circus!

From TNC's website:
Mission:
The Nature Conservancy is an international, private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

How is an organization non-profit if they engage in logging, and selling building lots? (see post of Tuesday, January 9, 2001 - 11:54 am)

Other info on-line:
The Nature Conservancy maintains a land preservation fund of $85 million, which they can use for emergency purchase of pieces of land that are crucial to species survival.
So they should be able to buy the Keweenaw.

Every "religion" has its behavioral extremists, I suppose. Ever been to a rock concert or an NFL game? Supposed "altruistically reasoned" behavior such as the shooting of abortion doctors to save babies or pounding spikes into old-growth trees to prevent them from being cut down(and punishing the unfortunate sawyer who tries) or killing the believers of minority belief-systems or genetic deformities to save their "souls" have been with us since history began. But there is a world of difference between civil disobediance or legal strategies based on strong beliefs and criminal behavior that physically harms other people. I get your point, Steve, but from where I stand, Eco & Nazi don't belong in the same rhetorical coupling until you can persuade me that organized groups of environmentalists are running murderously amok in earth-toned shirts chanting "Heil Mother Earth!"

Walt: The native prairie ecosystems here in Minnesota were virtually extinguished by farming practices before the start of the 20th century. There are a few refuges remaining and restoration efforts are being made here and there but the possibility of ever bringing the "prairie" back on a large scale is essentially a lost cause. Of course lost causes, as Jefferson Smith once told us, are the ones really worth fighting for.

The idea that the modern environmental movement has become religious is not far fetched. Recently, I have read a considerable amount of research on the issue of religious conversion and it's impact on the converted individual's leadership ability. In short, people who have undergone religious conversion display a more altruistic personality, which many contend leads to increased individual consideration. The leadership issue goes on, but the point is that the eco-fascism movement displays this increased altruism. It may be that their altruistic nature is a result of "something coming over them" as it pertains to enviromental conservation. I see this altruism manifesting itself if the riduculous statments and antics that the rabid believers exhibit. Examples include climbing a redwood and living in the treetops for a year, destroying logging equipment, and other militant activities promoted by organizations such as Earth First! In their mind, protecting the Earth, "our mother" is more improtant their own lives of the life of society in general.
As far as drilling in ANWR, the drilling contractors are paying roughnecks $24 an hour on the Slope, and they can't find enough help.

Here's a well-balanced news-story on drilling in the ANWR. From the sound of things, oil-exploration technology and techniques have come a long way since the last Bush administration and environmentalists will be hard-pressed to make a good scientific case against it. I take it, from what Steve and Tim have alluded to, that this is where one might draw the line between sound ecological science and environmental religion?
Clashing Opinions at Meeting on Alaska Drilling

Hello everyone, good to be back even if only for a few weeks. Don't know where all this snow came from but I LOVE IT.

As for the NC, I think along with the donors, it would be just as interesting to see who at the state level is aligned with the NC. It is time for an environmental-enima. It is time for "real" scientists and "defensible" policies at the state level. Without them, we only have politics and both the environment and us little peons lose.

Some more food for thought. The other day during my travels I heard an interesting point and thought I would share it. It concerns "religion" and what the framers of our country feared from it at the state and federal level. His point was that the framers did not fear religion or religious beliefs, but feared a specific idealogy being forced on the country by either the vocal minority or the masses. In his opinion (and I seem to agree), the liberal/socialist "religion / idealogy" is what is being forced upon us today and is exactly what the framers feared. His primary example was in our schools where we as locals have completely lost control of what our children are taught and what values we want them learn. As a smaller point he compared the recent "environmental" movement to a religion where a certian idealogy and principles are accepted by many as a faith and any others that do not agree with it are chastised similar to religious prosecutions of old.

Just food for thought for the actual thinking people not the thoughtless faithful.

It does seem interesting how prelevent ignorance is in our country.
Is it failure of our schools?
Is it our apathy with how decisions are made and the process?
Are all people in decision making authority disingenious and actually want to see us like this?

Steve,
I found other information on the web about the corporate "donors" to The Nature Conservancy.
Amoco, Exxon, a host of others, many of them some of the biggest polluters around. Curious.
Don't know, yet, if they've had a football team, or if anyone else is checking.

But I suppose if the ends justify the means, what the hey, right?

And maybe with all the environmental regulation and environmentalists in bed with corporate giants, smaller, innovative companies that may hold answers to some of our problems simply don't stand a chance. Or no?

On water: While in Iowa I saw dead fish in the Coralville Resevoir in the spring, after farmers had turned and sprayed their fields. All those diverse farm products, corn and soybeans, need "things" you know.

In Maryland, you can't use a gas-powered boat on the Pretty Boy Resevoir. I suppose certain suburban neighborhoods with influence had nothing to do with that. The PBR isn't too far from D.C.

Walt,
BP Amoco and Phillips 66 recently gave the Nature Conservance a couple million for habitat protection and restoration in AK.
The environmental impacts associtated with oil exploration in the Arctic are absolutely insignificant. The amount of tundra to be filled is an absoulutely irrelevant portion of ANWR. ANWR holds oil and gas reserves beyound our wildest dreams, but the econazis have the American public duped into thinking that the world wil end if the tiny portion of ANWR is developed.
The only solution that I have ever thought of to remediate Torch Lake was to bottle it and sell it as drinking water in the D.C. area. Eventually, all of the contamination will get sucked out of the lake!

While snowboarding around the internet, wondering where The Nature Conservancy gets its money, I came across this interesting tidbit. A couple sentences from the site:

Yes! The Nature Conservancy has announced it will now sell building home-sites on property that should never be touched by human construction. These home-sites won't come cheap, of course.

The rest of the story is at:
http://www.allianceforamerica.org/Oldweb/1198011.htm

I've yet to hear a convincing environmental science reason for not drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The one pragmatic argument I've heard against it is that there's not enough oil/gas there to make it worthwhile. Can we really know how much is there unless we actually drill? And how damaging would drilling really be using today's state-of-the-art technology? Foreign policy is now more than ever inextricably connected to energy supply and it seems to me a renewed pressing issue of concern with respect to the Middle East's deteriorating peace and order and an inability to find political solutions that transcend religious beliefs.
I also learned recently that there's a huge supply of natural gas available for drilling at the deep bottom of the Caribbean if the technology for making it happen can satisfy environmental concerns. I don't think energy prices will coming down soon without new supply sources.
As for Torch Lake, I don't know what the environmental policy currently is for dealing with that "pollution" problem, but one has to wonder if disturbing that bottom sediment might not be the worst ecological solution of all.
Thanks for the link, Walt. It's good to know some Republicans haven't given up with sensible environmental interventions.

Jean,
I figured the site was Torch Lake. One of the points on the program that eventhough water in the great lakes tends to be very clear, there are still sigingicant amounts of toxins present in the water.
I guess the fact the the state tells people not to eat fish out of the lake is a clue.
I wonder how much circulation there is through Portage Canal and what amount of toxins make their way from Torch Lake into L. Superior.

Dear Steve what that dot on the map indicated was Torch Lake. I found this quote in a search on the net.

Torch Lake and the surrounding area were home to a
number of copper mills and smelting factories for over 100
years, beginning in 1868. Wastes from these operations were
historically dumped in Torch Lake and throughout
the area. EPA estimates that contaminated sediment in some
areas may be up to 70 feet thick.

Last week I managed to catch a program on PBS, probably NOVA, about water contamination and shortages. It featured a map showing "the most polluted waters in America" One of the dots was located -you guessed it- right on the good old Keweenaw Peninsula. Must be from all of the leaking septics on LLB.
Regardless of the GOP's previous postition on environmental issues, I do believe G.W. supports development, generally speaking. I suspect it's time to punch a few holes in the ground. In the Anchorage paper I have read of at least 4 new large oil developments coming to a head in the near future. Two of them are on the slope, one is in Cook Inlet, and the other is east of Cordova.
Time is money, so jump like a bunny.

Recently, I came across some on-line info that was titled, 155 GOP "Environmental Achievements" at:
http://www.fairfaxco-gop.org/155_environmental_accomplishments.htm

The list included our state, Michigan, as follows:
Michigan
Governor John Engler
85. Under Governor Engler's Clean Michigan Initiative to clean up and redevelop brownfields, $325 million has been allocated for environmental cleanup throughout the state at sites with redevelopment potential and acute public health and environmental problems.
86. $50 million has been allocated to protect and improve the quality of Michigan's water and $25 million for cleanup of contaminated sediments in Michigan lakes, rivers, and streams.
87. $50 million has been allocated for waterfront reclamation and revitalization, for local economic development, public recreation and improved environmental quality.
88. $50 million has been allocated to address priority health, safety, and environmental needs at Michigan's state parks.

I wonder where those contaminated sediments came from in item #86?

Where are all these millions coming from that have been referred to in recent posts?

Just as a follow-up to the Property Rights vs Environmental Ideals debate of our time I mentioned in my last post, here's a few thoughts excised from an opinion column by a University of Wisconsin historian I came across today. I'll post a piece of it and a link to it because I know there are a number of posters in the Keweenaw who are passionate on both sides of this debate so I thought it might be interesting to stir it up a little.

I STILL LOVE MT BOHEMIA!
Excellent Powder Day today at the mountain!

Walt:
The Property Rights vs Environmental Ideals debate is from many angles arguably the most interesting and important intellectual battleground of our time.
Being both an ecologist and a localist doesn't fit too well in our present Left vs Right political paradigm.
Who will eventually pony up the big money for these corporate/ecological land deals and why?
Are we for the future of all the earth's children or just our own children? Where does self-interest merge with common interest?
ps: Just as a 2nd footnote to my earlier edited post, I still meant what I said even though it may well have been inappropriate for public view.

The Nature Conservancy received over $476 million in 1993 from land sales to government agencies. In past cases, lands have been sold at prices above their appraised value. Such practices recently prompted property rights activists in New York state to file a lawsuit against The Nature Conservancy and the Adirondack Land Trust, charging that both sold land to the state Department of Enviromental Conservation at more than double its appraised value

Two thank you's are in order here.
#1, to George Hite, for his Adirondacks link. This IP endeavor is cause for optimism.
#2, to Charlie Hopper, for his appropriate excision.

I LOVE MT BOHEMIA!

Joe,
I look forward to winter every year.
Who was it that said a fool needs six hours of sleep, a woman needs four hours, and a man only needs two hours of sleep a night?

Walt:
Winter starting to get to ya?
The mosquito thing and time of posting leads me to believe you might be needing a little more sleep?

Does anyone know if BlackBear is passing out mosquito repellant at Mount Bohemia? I heard elsewhere that they aren't--I guess they figure if you keep moving downhill the mosquitoes have a hard time staying up with you. Heard from another that the mosquitoes have been swarming at the bottom, having learned that the pickings are easier there--blood is pumping harder, skiers are tired. Heard another rumor that one skier has been lost, presumably to mosquitoes.

Jeff,
I'm still waiting for a reply to a letter I wrote asking for information on the state and national forests. After I sent the letter I thought of other questions I should have asked. Typical.
When I receive an answer I'll be sure to post the information.

IP and The Nature Conservancy have announced a deal in the Adirondacks that might serve as a model for Keweenaw.

The IP news release is at:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010104/ny_intl_pa.html

OK Walt, I'll bite.
Where do the timber profits cut from State and National Forests go.
More data please!
Sandy, Lynn, Paul Tim, Sue etc: Whatever your ideological persuasion, where have all the contributors gone? Is it so hard for all the anonymous-oriented to put their real name to a public thought?
How is the Public Access Movement progressing?

So how is Keweenaw County now that the ski hill is running? Is feces being "sprayed all over the mountain"? Is the county overun with unbearable traffic? How about aircraft noise, noise from making snow (ya know, K.C. doesn't get much snow), or blinding light pollution? Is the aurora invisible in the bleached night sky?
I heard a rumor that even Gary Kohs was seen at the ski shop, evidently he was shopping for some gear...
I supposed now that the land is ravaged, the "wilderness" violated by the filth we call civilization, the County coffers bankrupted by the new public costs, and the character of LLB forever destroyed I may as well not even bother to visit anymore.
Funny how all that worked.

In this high tech "odyssey" year of 2001 Keweenaw is fortunate to have Pasty Central's Charlie Hopper, Eagle Harbor Web's George Hite and Keweenaw Today's Michele Anderson. They are Super Yoopers.

Walt:
A place to start in your quest for timber sale knowledge:

Byron Sailor
c/o Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Forest Management Division
PO Box 30452
Lansing MI 48909-7952 (USA)
Telephone: 517.373.1275
Fax: 517.373.2443
TTY: 517.241.2683

To remodel the governor's office!!!!