There are no blooming hearts on the shores of Douglas Lake today, but lots of sunshine and beautiful fresh snow.  Best to overlook the temperature, a bone chilling 6F. If you are missing Douglas Lake, enjoy a warming glass of wine or maybe a cup of cocoa would be a better choice.  The Lake is frozen over, the ice shacks are out, the cross country and downhill skiing are fine - what more could you ask for!  

Elevated levels of per- and/or polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) recently were found in a private well near the Pellston Regional Airport.  The site is the first example of a water source in Emmet County showing PFAS readings high enough to reach “actionable” levels set by state criteria and federal guidelines.  Officials from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the Health Department of Northwest Michigan are working together to have samples taken from nearby wells and tested to determine the scope of the problem.
        A town hall meeting, including an open-house, a presentation about  the well-testing and the potential risk of PFAS contamination in well water, and time for questions, took place at Pellston High School Auditorium Wednesday evening, February 12^th.
            Since being developed in the 1940s, PFAS has been widely used in manufacturing non-stick or stain-repellant consumer products and firefighting foam because of their resistance to grease, water, and oil. Airports are one setting where PFAS pose a potential cause for concern because firefighting foam is often on the premises. No clear evidence has been found that would link the contamination in Pellston to the airport.  Interview reports in the Petoskey and Cheboygan newspapers included comments from Scott Kendzierski, Director of Environmental Health at the Health Department of Northwest Michigan confirming that state agencies will be conducting extended land use investigations to help clarify where the local source(s) of PFAS contamination might be found.
     Evidence suggests that high levels of PFAS in drinking water can cause growth and learning defects in children, fertility issues in women, an increased risk of cancer and other complications.  Those risks might also be present if people eat fish which have been exposed to PFAS-contaminated water.

More information can be found at the Health Department of Northwest Michigan web site and http://michigan.gov/pfasresponse

            While the Watershed Council’s Ice Breaker Winter Speaker Series has been set for several months, the March 26^th topic “The Growing Threat of PFAS” is remarkably timely.  We’ll likely have more specific details about the PFAS concern identified in Pellston (the first identification of PFAS at ‘actionable’ levels in Emmet County). But here’s an opportunity to learn more about what PFAS chemicals are, where they have been found at worrisome levels in Michigan and now possibly in our own neighborhood, and why we should all be concerned about the health impacts of PFAS.
            Jennifer McKay, Watershed Council Policy Director, will present an overview of PFAS use, why these chemicals are a threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem, and a discussion of what is being done to address PFAS contamination in Michigan.
            McKay’s presentation is on March 26^th at the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, 426 Bay Street, downtown Petoskey, from Noon-1pm.  Seating is limited; please pre-register for this free event by calling (231) 347-1181.

            The 2020 Emmet Conservation District (ECD) Spring Tree Sale is now underway.  An Informational brochure and the 2020 Tree Order Forms are available on the ECD web link below.  Pre-orders are encouraged; pre-orders are taken through Friday, April 3, 2020.  After that date, orders are accepted until supplies are gone.

Tree-sale Pick-Up is Friday April 24 (10am-2pm) or Saturday April 25 (8am-12noon) at the Emmet County Fairgrounds – follow the signs to the little barns. ECD also welcomes volunteers to help out with the tree sale.  Please contact Jackie Pilette by phone (231-439-8977) or email jackie.pilette@macd-org  if you can help.

The Fruit Tree Workshop & Sale is two weeks after the tree sale, on Saturday May 9 at Gabriel Farms. The workshop is from 10-12noon. The Sale and Tree Pick-Up is from 9am-2pm.
If you have questions about any aspect of the tree and fruit tree sales program, you can call or email Jackie at contact information above.

Emmet Conservation District