LANSING – State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) on Thursday night attended at a meeting of the Luna Pier City Council to discuss the muck that is washing up on the shores of Lake Erie. Ebli expressed the need for all members of the community to work in order to find a resolution to the issue.
"This disgusting muck has been a thorn in the side to the beachside communities in Monroe County and across our state for years, and it's time we do something about it," Ebli said. "Not only is it threatening our way of life, but it's putting thousands of tourism jobs at risk by tarnishing our beaches and endangering our natural resources. Especially during these tough economic times, we simply can't afford to sit back and ignore this problem any more."
Ebli was joined at the meeting by Jeff Surface, environmental quality analyst with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Water Service Bureau. Surface has previously spent time walking the shore line and examining the muck problem with Luna Pier city officials.
The leading theory explaining the muck issue stems from an increase in phosphorus in the water. While algae grows rapidly in Lake Erie throughout the spring, it dies in the warmer summer months and eventually washes ashore and mixes with sand. As the plants die, they turn black and create a foul smell.
Thousands of jobs in the tourism, boating, fishing, agriculture and shipping industries rely on healthy Great Lakes water. Visitors spend more than $17 billion in Michigan each year, and an estimated 200,000 Michigan jobs are directly tied to tourism. In addition, the loss of Lake Erie's beauty threatens residents' quality of life, shoreline property values and legacy for future generations.
"Tourism is one of Michigan's largest industries and accounts for roughly 200,000 jobs for our workers," Ebli said. "By resolving this issue, we are not only protecting those jobs, but we are creating new ones and generating more revenue for our local economies. We are truly fortunate to be surrounded by such vital natural resources, and I am committed to preserving the resources that make life so special here in Monroe County."
In addition to serving as Vice-Chair of the House Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee, Ebli is Chair of the Tourism Promotion Subcommittee, a bipartisan state panel aimed at boosting tourism in Monroe and across the state.