SS Badger: Full Steam Ahead into 2013?!

[XLFD]

Just before noon today, WMOM radio reported a qualified rumour about the SS Badger that they asked Lake Michigan Carferry about, and they denied it.  As the future of the Badger is very important to our area, and the Ludington Torch has always been intrigued with mythbusting and truth, so we decided to investigate the rumour and its genesis, and invite discussion on same.

 

 

WMOM's article says:    

Ludington's most mobile and recognizable landmark the SS Badger, is preparing for their 2013 sailing season. The Big Ship is already offering pre-season ticket prices through their website ssbadger.com. Although the Badger is expecting to hear back from the EPA by March 1st, some people have started rumours that the Badger has chosen to carry and store its own coal ash slurry on the ship as opposed to dumping it into the lake. The slurry is a by-product generated when the Badger's fuel source coal is burned.

The statement regarding the Badger carrying the ash during trips was posted on Boatnerd.com

MOM News contacted Badger spokeswoman Terri Brown about the validity of the statement. According to Brown the statement is incorrect. The Badger has yet to make any decision about storing the ash and as stated before, still waiting for the EPAs decision about their sailing future.

http://wmom.fm/index.php/pdf/News/ss-badger-storing-ash-during-trip...

 

Boatnerd is a website dedicated to the nuts and bolts of Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping issues.  A perusal of Boatnerd's newsfeeds showed nothing, but this was intimated in the following discussion titled "SS Badger" in the Discussion Boards posted by a "Guest".. He said:  "Badger will run a full season as usual. Looks like they will store the ash onboard."

They then link to the Badger's website, which looks for all purposes as if they are guaranteeing a full year of steaming ahead. 

This brochure on group rates states the rates for all the way up to October 13, 2013.

This brochure shows all rates, and shows the Badger is cutting rates.

This link shows rates, a full season timeline and rosy endorsements, including one from SOS Badger brainchild, Ludington CVB Marketing Director Brandy Henderson.  The CVB's new chairman is so modest!

This link shows the bargain pricing for 2013. 

 

The news releases and media port on the Badger website, including the links and brochures above, have nothing specific about how this all works out if the Environmental Protection Agency comes down hard, or any contingency plans if you book ahead.  One can readily believe, if he is a "Boatnerd", that if a decision that precludes the dumping of coal ash in the lake is made by the EPA this year, that the most likely response by the LMC would be to store and dump the coal ash inside the Badger, convey it to the backs of trucks and carry that waste to some (likely) Wisconsin dump. 

 

The Badger has enough space in the coal storage area for about a week's worth of trips, so all they need to do is to set aside some room for the ash slurry, and set up the cooling and conveying mechanisms to put in action.  This is something that has likely been considered as an 'emergency' scenario and could be deployed almost immediately if a hard ban is immediately invoked.

 

I presume the Boatnerd's "Guest" who put this post up, had the same idea, without necesarily knowing the 'inside baseball' knowledge that the LMC spokeswoman was not giving out at this time.  But that is understandable, as it could affect the EPA's eventual decision.  What do you think?

[Willy]

This link is from the Badgers web page and answers a lot of questions.I don't believe they have any viable options at this point other than an extension for their application. I doubt they can retrofit the ship to store the ash anytime in the near future. Converting to diesel will be extremely expensive. Using natural gas is not a solution on the Great Lakes at this time. I think they are in limbo and waiting for the hammer to drop.

http://www.ssbadger.com/content.aspx?Page=epa_update_2012august

[XLFD]

I overlooked that link, thanks Willy.  I've talked with someone who has worked on the Badger in the engine area and believes that storing the ash would be a minor inconvenience and capable of being done without major retrofitting.  Unless the LMC's confidence in continuance is just bravado, I think if the EPA does come out with a moratorium on dumping coal ash, they finish out the season storing it.

[Willy]

X

If the ash storage is a minor inconvenience as the person said then why hasn't it been done instead of spending money on studies, lawyers, reports and applications while having the EPA holding this situation over their heads. From what I have read, the ash storage and disposal is a major undertaking.

[XLFD]

The difference between dumping it into the lake as a slurry as they do now and storing it and taking it to a qualified dump is significant.  I think I read in their filings that the latter would cost them (estimated) a better part of a million annually, not including the initial costs.  With those figures, it's worth fighting.  I will try to double check those figures.

[XLFD]

 Lake Michigan Carferry, owner of the Badger, has signed a consent decree agreement with the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency that will require the Badger to end the ash discharge within two years.
According to a statement from LMC, the agreement is a product of a lengthy process of LMC working with the EPA to find the best solution. It includes installation of a sophisticated ash retention system.
The consent decree will be lodged in federal court in Grand Rapids by the Department of Justice and includes a 30 day written public comment period prior to final approval by the court.

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2013/03/22/badger-now-has-2-years-t...

Lake Michigan Carferry Service, owner of the SS Badger, was sued by the United States Government for allegedly violating mercury water standards in 2012. Through a proposed consent decree, LMC has agreed to pay a $25,000 civil penalty.

The 42-page consent decree states LMC denies that it discharged mercury at unacceptable levels.

Though LMC states it does not know what the cost of building an ash discharge system will be, it apparently will be less than the other option of converting the ship’s engines to operate on liquefied natural gas.

The proposed consent decree is available;  http://www.justice.gov/enrd/ConsentDecrees/ENV_ENFORCEMENT-2344261-...   Additional information about the S.S. Badger is available at http://www.epa.gov/region5/water/npdestek/badger/.

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2013/03/22/lmc-agrees-to-pay-25000-...

 

[Marty Redman]

Good news.  The mercury discharge has never been shown, but $25,000 is a drop in the lake for penalties for the LMC.  I am so happy they are planning to keep it coal fired.  That black plume shooting up on a windless day will be like a black middle finger extended to the environutties.

[Willy]

The link below is to the EPA web site that is not sympathetic to the Badger but has a lot of information regarding this situation. It even has the correspondence between the EPA an the Badger's owners.

http://www.epa.gov/r5water/npdestek/badger/