After decades of searching, a team led by Brendon Baillod has located the wreckage of the “ghost ship” F.J. King in Lake Michigan. The three-masted cargo schooner sank in a storm in 1886 off Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula. Using side-scan sonar, the team discovered the 144-foot vessel, which was carrying iron ore. Despite previous unsuccessful searches, the hull remains intact, and the discovery marks another shipwreck find for the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association.
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Recent firings of 14 US Fish & Wildlife Service employees, along with a hiring freeze for seasonal workers, jeopardize decades of progress in controlling invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. This action, part of a larger federal government downsizing effort, threatens the multi-million dollar lamprey control program, which protects a multi-billion dollar fishery. A significant reduction in lamprey control efforts could lead to a drastic resurgence of the invasive species, reversing years of conservation success. The potential consequences include the collapse of the Great Lakes’ ecosystem and massive economic losses.
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The EPA’s Chicago office, instrumental in the East Palestine cleanup, faces significant staff cuts under the Trump administration. This action, spearheaded by appointees with industry ties, directly contradicts the administration’s public commitment to environmental protection. The move follows a pattern of reduced enforcement actions and weakened environmental regulations during previous Trump administrations, ultimately benefiting polluters at the expense of public health and environmental safety. This pattern is exemplified by the delayed responses to pollution incidents and the stalling of crucial environmental funding. The incongruity between stated goals and actual actions raises concerns regarding the EPA’s ability to fulfill its core mission.
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John Q. Hosedrinker