Letter from Northern Michigan Environmental Action Committee

The following is a statement by the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Committee (NMEAC) in the form of a letter to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Shultz:

November 23, 2009

Dusty Shultz, Superintendent
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Empire, MI  49630 

Dear Ms. Shultz: 

NMEAC would like to see both you and Mr. Tom Ulrich resolve the spray drift issues concerning the Homestead’sseptage system sometime in 2010. Our board has discussed this issue off and on since 1991 and we are very hopeful the issue can finally be resolved. 

We feel the Homestead should not be able to take over any land owned by the Park beyond their legal rights and would like to know the status of this issue. Is the Homestead using Park land legally and within the easement agreement? 

We also feel spray drift from the spray irrigation areas is a documented problem and needs to be stopped and resolved as soon as possible. One idea is to have the Park place air monitoring sensors at two or three locations to accurately measure this problem. We also recommend planting a buffer of native confers surrounding the easement boundaries. 

We are aware there have been past violations of the easement agreement and would hope the Park can work with the Homestead to resolve these issues. 

NMEAC feels both you and Mr. Ulrich did an outstanding job on the new Park Management Plan and we know this took an immense amount of time and effort. But, the issues with the Homestead still need to be resolved in a timely manner in 2010. 

Again, if we can help in any way please feel free to notify me. 

Our files indicate we have written many letters on the Homestead issue in the past. I’m hopeful this might be the last time we need to address this issue.  

Sincerely, 

Greg Reisig, Chair