“Diesel, it’s just stinky old diesel, and it sure doesn’t sound the same,” he said, noting the Badger comes into and leaves port almost in silence because of its steam power. What? Where has this guy been?? Under a Rock?? "New" diesels burn cleaner than gasoline. Diesel doesn't stink anymore and is almost smokeless. To say the Black Soot that billows out of the Badger stacks is better for the environment than Diesel is a joke. Yeah, it may come into port quiet, but you can see it with the humongous cloud of darkness is lays down on the water. The black dust it leaves on my boat is the reason I'm thinking of leaving Ludington.

What is the black dust? Charcoal? oil? If charcoal, which is used in filters, maybe it could be beneficial to the lake rather than being a pollutant.

Salmon bum...are you under a rock? You even quoted him....and can't figure out what he said! When did he say anything about coal being better for the environment? If you read the line just before the one you quoted... “If it went to diesel, I’d turn my back on it,” Hayes said. “It’s the steam engine aspect of all those kind of tour boats that really impresses me, really gets me excited. It is the steam ship aspect that makes this boat special. A deisel is a deisel, and there is nothing unique about a deisel powered ship. The badger is special that it is still a coal powered steam ship. The last of the great lakes. And to say that Charlie has been under a rock? This guy knows engines...especially old engines, steam engines, the neat stuff. Before spouting off on things, read the whole thing and make sure you know what you are talking about.

Good job there Chris and Harold, Hayes would be quite a guy to talk to about engines, esp. steam. He seems to know his business/hobby, and has more common sense in his little finger, than all those EPA staffers put together. Btw, what is some EPA woman in Portland Oregon doing poking her nose in to Lk. Michigan's toxicity problems? She isn't even near this area, probably never even been here, and she has professional knowledge? Give me a break!! I'll take the reports by ASI as a tool to judge by, and their findings are that the slurry/ash is way, way below toxic levels. That my darlings in Wash., DC, means we're safe and above code. No need for further tampering here I say. Go find some other ambulance to chase down.

The simple fact is that the Badgers discharge is of such a small amount that this is just tiddly winks. I for one want to see all historical transportation equipment steam ships and steam locomotives, a waiver for such things. The real problems of our environment are elsewhere.

Russ, you have hit the nail on the head! Why not have a waiver on historical transportation. How else can our kids and grandchildren see what great machines history has produced. We are losing a lot of history if we have to change everything. Let's see how to get a petition together and get that to a representative.