Earth Day sees enviro concerns

While it goes without saying that a healthy environment is important for every living thing on our planet, it’s an issue that is of extra-special importance to many of us here in Northern Michigan.

That’s because not only is the environment important for basic needs, such as clean water and air, (and so many more), but it’s also a big part of our way of life here. Being close to nature and outdoor recreation is a big reason many people choose to live here and a major driver for our tourism industries.

So, we thought it would be a good time to take a brief look at a few things that give us both concern and hope for the health of our environment.

No discussion about local environmental concerns would be complete without mentioning Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline. The 645-mile, 30-inch-diameter pipeline carries petroleum products through Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, originating in Superior, Wisconsin, and terminating in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. As it travels under the Straits of Mackinac, Line 5 splits into two 20-inch-diameter, parallel pipelines that are buried onshore and taper off deep underwater, crossing the Straits west of the Mackinac Bridge for a distance of 4.5 miles.

As is well known by many, there has been growing concern among some legislators, environmental groups and everyday citizens, about the safety of this more than 60-year-old pipeline. A leak from this pipeline would be extremely difficult to contain and could be devastating to large sections of the Great Lakes ecosystem. While many hearings, meetings and discussions have happened in recent years, we continue to implore our leaders that something more has to happen to address this risk sooner than later. As recently as the last few weeks, concerns have heightened as a mineral-based oil coolant leaked from underwater electric transmission lines near the Straits, apparently caused by a ship’s anchor. Shortly thereafter, dents were discovered on Line 5, suspected to have been caused by the same ship’s anchor.

Another state-level area of concern for us is a proposed Michigan legislation package that would shift some of the Department of Environmental Quality’s rulemaking authority to state-appointed panels. Among the concerns this raises is potential for business interests — perhaps with financial objectives at odds with an active environmental protection program — to gain disproportionate clout in steering how rules are set and applied. This looks to us to have the potential for a “fox guarding the henhouse” scenario.

Although many facets of our environment have shown improvement since the first Earth Day in 1970, there are still many areas of concern.

On multiple occasions in recent years, we’ve reported on efforts of state and federal officials to clean up environmental hazards from years gone by. These include everything from the yearslong and multimillion dollar effort to stop caustic and heavy metal-laden leachate from the Bay Harbor development from seeping into Little Traverse Bay, to smaller cleanups of ground contamination from sites where industrial solvents were dumped or underground fuel storage tanks leaked.

We’re happy to see these cleanup efforts taking place, but we also know there are far more sites that need cleanup than can be addressed by the funds that are available. We encourage our government leaders to keep these cleanup efforts a priority.

Speaking of contaminants making their way into our water bodies, we are encouraged by increasing efforts by area groups to heighten awareness and offer options for mitigating non-point source pollution from making its way into area waterways.

These types of pollution include fertilizers and other contaminants that are washed into storm drains. Two examples of efforts to help with this concern are the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council’s rain garden program, and a recent cooperative program in which the Boyne City City Commission agreed to allow the Lake Charlevoix Association to use the city’s Sunset Park as a location for area landscapers to display different options for environmentally sound lakeshore landscaping.

We continue to be encouraged by the efforts made by recycling programs in both Emmet and Charlevoix counties. Both programs made wide-ranging efforts through the years to develop convenient and comprehensive recycling opportunities. Another bright spot is the efforts of the Little Traverse Conservancy, which has helped to preserve hundreds of Northern Michigan properties in a natural state and regularly provides outdoor education opportunities for children and adults. The organization also will mark Earth Day with a (rescheduled) tree-planting event from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday at its Consuelo Diane and Charles L. Wilson Jr. Working Forest Reserve, located along Middle and Hughston roads north of Harbor Springs. The public is invited to participate.

These are just a few examples of environmental concerns and efforts to address them that are on our minds as this year’s Earth Day approaches.

Although in some of these instances you might feel like there is little you can do to make a difference, there are little things we can all do to help the environment every day. Recycling as much as possible, composting and taking environmental impacts into consideration with the products we purchase and use are just a few simple ways we can all make a difference.

— The Petoskey News-Review