To the Journal editor:

I am dismayed by the proposed space port on Granot Loma. Over the past decades Marquette has done an impressive job of transforming itself from an economy based on mining and the U.S. Air Force to an economy focused on its Northwoods forests bordered by our magnificent Lake Superior.

Both local residents and outdoor enthusiasts are now drawn to these enviable assets. New home-owners may also consider Marquette for permanent residency given the emerging capabilities of working remotely.

The proposed location of the space port will undermine all these efforts.

I have been a seasonal resident of Big Bay for my entire life and recall with dismay the lumbering B-52 bombers flying low altitude missions over Lake Superior.

Yes, one could claim that this was a temporary disruption but it was an intrusion that ruined the peace and tranquility that Marquette is now famous for. Launching satellites over the lake will have the same effect, not limited to the brief noise of the launch.

Such a program will have a permanent effect seeping into the ethos of Marquette. Space port advocates suggest a maximum of 24 yearly flights, but environmentalists are well aware that number could inch upward as the years go by.

The potential jobs and impact on the local economy are important assets to consider, but other locations are available that won’t despoil what Marquette has worked hard to create.