Ashland, Wisconsin Receives EPA Study Grant

Whats another 200,000 the way our government spends money.  I had the EPA probably kill a deal I have been working on.  I have very little use for them.

John -- I'm not familiar with what EPA might have done in your state, but Ashland, Wisconsin really could use the help.  The timber and mining industries (and the government indirectly) all contributed to the pollution problem in Ashland.  This used to be an ore dock town, a place where steel was milled and coal, lumber & gypsum were offloaded on huge timber rail trestles to serve the needs of American industry and the war efforts of the twentieth century.  Now the soil on and near the shoreline in places is contaminated with coal dust, creosote, timber treatment chemicals and heavy metals. 

Ashland has been overlooked for years.  It is time for the Feds to help clean things up here, as Lake Superior is a valuable resource that benefits all of America, not just the states bordering it.

A clean shoreline and a clean lake are lofty goals. Hopefully this study will show where the community can focus it's attention to get the most recovery for their money.

Bonnie -- It's going to take a pretty major effort to clean up and remediate Ashland's shoreline.  There is an Xcel Energy (formerly NSP) plant on the waterfront there that has burned coal and wood chip waste for years.  Locals have pointed proudly to the fact that the area doesn't get it's power from nuclear energy.  But the trade-off has been contamination in other areas.