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Launch plan opposed

To the Journal editor:

MAMA’s proposal for a vertical launch spaceport to be located at Granot Loma is not as they initially advertised. There has been a disgusting lack of transparency concerning their proposal.

They spread misinformation and withheld accurate information about their plans to construct this vertical launch spaceport on our pristine Lake Superior coastline in the midst of the North Country National Scenic Trail, Marquette city and Michigan state parks.

They knew how highly invasive and destructive their project would be to these natural treasures. They knew how highly disruptive their idea would be to any human being living within a wide radius of their proposed project. They hid things, and then when revealed, they spun it as a “green development.”

The cost to benefit ratio is too high to ever allow this. What makes Marquette and the Upper Peninsula so different and special, and what draws people to live here and visit, is that the volume of the natural world is turned up so much more beautifully than in most other places that have overdeveloped at the expense of their natural beauty.

The real treasure of our location, is that we can offer those that live and visit here, a wide expanse of natural settings and experiences that will allow people to recharge their spirit and rebalance their souls.

In our crowded, machine dominated world, nature is now well documented to provide a wide range of health benefits and is becoming a rare and precious healing attraction for many people. MAMA is asking us to sacrifice this and our rare, world-class, natural lakeshore for handful of jobs.

Think I’m the only one who knows this is a bad Idea? Within several weeks of the county board and MAMA’s July 2020 announcement to the public of the vertical spaceport launch site, 23,000 people signed a petition opposing it.

A reasonable alternative would be for MAMA to withdraw their proposal for a vertical launch site. They could then instead offer the community a second horizontal, airplane facilitated, satellite launch facility to be located at K.I. Sawyer International Airport.

This is already an industrial zone with jet traffic within Marquette County. Such a proposal would receive much more support from our community.

I ask for each person’s consideration and advocacy for this alternative, and for support of Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior, a local organization opposing MAMA’s vertical launch plans.

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