Muskegon Save Our Shoreline

Muskegon Save Our Shoreline (SOS) has been in existence since 1974 and was originally formed to successfully oppose the construction of a steel mill on the shores of Muskegon Lake. SOS continues to be involved with a number of issues primarily involving the preservation of the shoreline of Muskegon area lakes and allowing free public access.

EARTH PLEDGE

I promise to protect the Earth, to respect wild animals and their habitats, to explore the wonders of nature through responsible choices and actions. I will lead by my example to help build a better future.

In Memoriam

Dr. William "Bill" G. Jackson, a founding member of Save Our Shoreline, died Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

Bill has been the honoree of several awards, most notably, the 1996 Muskegon Area Environmental "Making Waves in Muskegon" Life Time Achievement Award. "The W. G. Jackson Research and Education Vessel will serve as a permanent reminder of Bill's concern for the community lakes he cared so deeply about.

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Enough is Enough !

Muskegon Yacht Club Plans to Enclose Nearly
Two Acres of Muskegon Lake !

The Muskegon Yacht Club (MYC) is currently pursuing a contested case in front of an Administrative Law Judge, that would extend their current dock structure eastward. The structure and anchoring system would double the area that MYC currently consumes of Muskegon Lake. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ) previously denied a permit to MYC in 2003.

Obviously, approval of MYC’s plan would transfer public waterways to private usage. The transfer would impact a prime fishing area and further limit public navigation that is enjoyed regularly by a wide range of leisure craft.

From a historical perspective, it should be noted that MYC’s last major docking expansion was in 1985. The 1985 project received a critical review due to the transfer of public domain. A permit was finally approved with a negotiated agreement that assured future expansion would not be allowed. Approval of the current application would be in direct violation of the 1985 permit agreement, deteriorate the public’s trust in the State of Michigan’s ability to maintain long-term agreements and set a precedence to allow other expansion around the lake.

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Adopt-a-Beach Program

Through the Alliance for the Great Lakes Adopt-a-Beach program Muskegon Save Our Shoreline has adopted a portion of Muskegon's Pere Marquette Beach. We have adopted the non-smoking portion of the beach from the breakwall south to the bathhouse. We gather on the 3rd Saturday of the months of April, June, July, August and September from 9AM to noon. We pick up trash and record and weigh it as well as take water samples and survey the condition of the beach. All are welcome to help. We furnish trash bags and equipment.

Butts!

Cigarette butts are the number one world litter problem with approximately 4.3 trillion butts being littered worldwide each year. A cigarette butt takes at least 12 years to degrade if it does. Butts can leach chemicals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, and arsenic into our waterways within minutes of contact with the water. The cellulose fibers are coated with tobacco tar which contain carcinogens. Such fibers have been found in the lungs of lung cancer patients. Plus, discarded butts have been found in the stomachs of infants, birds, animals, and fish.

In 2007, members of Muskegon Save Our Shoreline worked as part of a small team of citizens to have part of Muskegon's Pere Marquette Park designated as smoke-free to keep butts off the beaches. We would hope to see that designation extended in the future.

Please kindly pass the word that cigarette butts are litter that harms the environment and us! Urge that there be trash containers available for people to put their butts in. Thank you.