Aerial view of Muskegon harbor, Muskegon, Michigan, US Army Corps of Engineers

Green Issues at Ports

The Lake Michigan Forum held a meeting on the role of Ports and Lake Michigan environmental quality in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 1st and 2nd, 2007. The weather-impacted, yet well-attended meeting, presented information from regional experts and representatives on environmental and operational issues around ports and other facilities, methods that have been implemented to coordinate activities, and new assessments and movement occurring in addressing environmental quality issues. The meeting also included a tour of the Port of Milwaukee.

From the information presented at the meeting, The Lake Michigan Forum recommended that a pilot project be developed to use an ecosystem-based environmental impact matrix to look at environmental quality issues around two port areas and investigate the best approaches to evaluate the implementation of projects that would have the best benefits to the environmental quality of Lake Michigan. The environmental impact matrix would be developed using the Lake Michigan Lakewide Management Plan, local and regional watershed plans, and other available resources to identify the priority issues for the ecosystem around the port area.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan, which are connected by the Lake Express Ferry, were the first selected locales to explore. Along with the development of an environmental impact matrix, the development of an implementation plan to address identified priorities will occur. The implementation planning process will include the identification of stakeholders to participate in the project and give guidance to the realities of the area and the feasibility of implementation. The stakeholders would assist in creating a local consensus for the ports projects.