To the Journal editor:

For decades the Superior Watershed Partnership has considered Chocolay Township a regional leader in protective environmental planning and zoning. The township was one of the first in the Upper Peninsula to assist in developing a comprehensive watershed management plan for the Chocolay River and its many cold-water tributaries.

Chocolay Township also worked with the SWP to develop one of the most effective riparian buffer ordinances in the Upper Peninsula (pretty impressive when you consider there are over 140 townships in the U.P.) A riparian buffer is the natural vegetation that is left untouched along rivers, inland lakes and Lake Superior to protect water quality and important habitat. The township also worked with SWP to develop one of the first dune protection ordinances in the Upper Peninsula (this put a halt to some landowners bulldozing the dunes for a better view of Lake Superior).

Recently a number of township residents contacted the SWP to report that Chocolay Township is planning to approve a change to their long-standing Natural Resource Mining Ordinance that would weaken the ordinance in several ways including the elimination of the 1,000 foot setback from neighboring residential areas (if approved there would be no setback required; only an optional case-by-case review). Also, if approved, the ordinance would not require any environmental impact assessments or monitoring of air quality, noise or vibration. The mining ordinance addresses the removal and/or processing of iron ore, copper, gravel, sand, fill dirt, stone, gypsum, peat, topsoil, silver, gold, uranium and other minerals.

There is currently a new sand mining operation that is proposed on M-28 near Lake Superior, near residential areas and extremely close to the groundwater table. The Chocolay Township Board will be voting on the proposed zoning amendment on Monday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Chocolay Township Hall, 5010 US 41 South.

Sincerely,