“… that site has a long history, and very little of that long history was within our control or within the control of the Michigan Audubon Society, and historically, even the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are newcomers.
Consequently, whatever occurred up there under someone else’s watch is probably a problem that we share, in common. Consequently, it is unfair to expect or to demand or even to request one of the three parties to conduct those tests and be responsible, unless all three are going to be responsible.
And let me remind you that many of you, if not all of you, are also private property owners. Your properties have histories, too. If you are not polluting, what obligation is it on your part to find out what your predecessor did?
Consequently, we have to remind ourselves what this plan is for. It is for the monitoring of human use and natural resources. And the septic system is relevant and that’s why we are testing for capacity and groundwater contamination from septic usage.
But this plan was never intended, nor will it turn into a requirement on the part of any one of the property owners to do an environmental audit. That’s simply not required and it would be, frankly, dangerous.”
- James Spurr, From the official transcript of the “Public Hearing on the Human Use/Natural Resource Plan for Whitefish Point”, pages 39 - 40. (For a complete copy of the transcript, contact: Northern Reporters, P.O. Box 27, Marquette, MI 49855, Tel: 906-226-2706) |
GLSHS has occupied the Whitefish Point Light Station since 1983 - a mercury spill and diesel fuel spill took place on their watch.
SEE: GLSHS accepted responsibility and liability for all hazardous substances at the Whitefish Point Light Station in 1997 - see their signed statement submitted to the Bureau of Land Management prior to the transfer of the Whitefish Point Light Station to them.
U.S. Coast Guard photo of diesel fuel clean-up at Whitefish Point Light Station in 1992.
|
|
