Connecting Water, Connecting People - What Next?
By Rob Cadmus
A trek from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan to highlight the threats metallic sulfide mining poses on Great LakesWaters.Aiming the canoe for the shoot of clean water between the crashing waves behind it, I yelled out to Doug, “Here we go!” We sliced through some white water and then a curling wave came over our bow. We heeled to our side. “Too far left,” I thought, as Doug abandoned the overturning boat and stared back at me with a worried look. I gave a smile to Jackie who was watching from shore to see if she wanted to run the rapids.
Lower Menominee River Photo Doug Cornett From August 6 to August 30, Jackie Camelet, Doug Cornett,and I ventured from Marquette to Menominee by kayak, canoe, and foot. We kayaked from Marquette to Big Bay and hiked the Salmon-Trout River and to the headwaters of the Yellow Dog. We canoed from Lake Michigamme to the Menominee River and then down to Lake Michigan.
All these waters are at risk. The latest threat is from the pollution that could be generated from two potential metallic sulfide mines - Kennecott’s proposed Eagle Project on the Yellow Dog Plains, and Mineral Processing Corporation’s Back Forty Project, near Sixty Islands of the Menominee River.Every adventure has its challenges. Our Connecting Water, Connecting People Trek was no exception. The 291-mile trip offered many physical, mental and spiritual trials.
During our 25-day journey, we hosted informational meetings in Marquette, Big Bay, Michigamme, Republic, Norway, and Menominee, and camped near the potential mine sites at the Yellow Dog Plains and Sixty Islands. We talked to fisherman, boaters, hikers and others we met along the way about the importance of clean water. We got others on the water and in the woods to see the beauty of our Upper Peninsula natural areas. We brought this issue to the public through radio, TV, and newspaper interviews, and have thus far raised over $4,000 to oppose the metallic sulfide mining menace in Michigan. Republic Gathering Photo Doug CornettAlthough we have finished our trek, Connecting Water, Connecting People is not finished. Over the next few months, we will continue to connect people through kitchen table meetings, public gatherings, and other events across Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Contact us to get involved or to host a gathering.