Monday, March 08, 2010
Soo Locks Will Open March 21st
See: Soo Locks 2010 shipping season will open early this year
The locks are opening early after the Corps received several requests from the shipping community and their customers to open early due to “an improved business climate” and to replenish critically low iron ore and coal inventoriesThis appears to be great macroeconomic news and may foretell a busy shipping season.
Labels: economy, locks, shipping
Thursday, August 27, 2009
A U.P. Food Tradition In The New York Times
Now Entering Upper Michigan’s Smoked Fish Zone
My favorite smoked fish is Lake Trout. The combination of price and taste is unbeatable.
My favorite smoked fish is Lake Trout. The combination of price and taste is unbeatable.
Labels: economy, fishing, food
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Getting The Fishing Secret Out
The St. Marys River is a great place for fishing. But for some reason, no one outside of Michigan and Ontario knows this.
Eric Sharp at the Detroit Free Press is doing his best to get the word out though.
See: There's nothing fishy about big, numerous steelhead
Eric Sharp at the Detroit Free Press is doing his best to get the word out though.
See: There's nothing fishy about big, numerous steelhead
Last winter I told some California anglers about the great steelhead fishing in the Great Lakes. While they might not have considered it an outright lie, you could see they thought it was an exaggeration.
Labels: economy, fishing, St. Marys River, toursim
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Chippewa County, We Have A Problem
The Mascoma cellulosic ethanol plant plans are being questioned again. I have been suspicious of this for awhile.
Here is the latest, from Wired.com: When Making Fuel From Wood, Be Sure You Have Wood
Here is the latest, from Wired.com: When Making Fuel From Wood, Be Sure You Have Wood
An official at Michigan's Hiawatha National Forest... suggests feeding the Mascoma plant would wipe out the annual harvest in the eastern Hiawatha within 180 days.
Labels: economy
Thursday, February 05, 2009
One Industry Is Facing A Shortage Of Available Employees
Want to work on a freighter for five months of the year?
See: Shipping industry runs short of young mariners
See: Shipping industry runs short of young mariners
Some shipping companies have told the U.S. Maritime Administration that the problem has forced them to dock or even sell vessels. Others said it has kept them from expanding fleets, or caused delayed voyages and lost contracts.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Examing The State Of The Lakes From the Canadian Leader
Via the CSMonitor: Great perils of the Great Lakes
Labels: ecology, economy, freighter, pollution, shipping, water levels
Friday, November 28, 2008
Delivering Wind Turbines To Duluth
Although the economy may hurt the shipment of commodities, transporting the components of the new economy is sure to keep the shipping lanes around Neebish Island busy.
See: Wind power is pushing Duluth port to a new age
See: Wind power is pushing Duluth port to a new age
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported this year that transportation of wind turbines was the single largest factor in making fiscal year 2007 its most profitable.
"The growth is explosive," Paulson said. "There were times this season when we were moving 12 windmills a day. It's become the major portion of our heavy-lift business."
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
News About The Upcoming Kinross Ethanol Plant
As when I first mentioned this, an ethanol plant relates to Neebish Island in the sense that it could impact the local economy so I thought I'd post this latest news.
Mascoma Secures $49.5 Million in DOE and State of Michigan Funding for Cellulosic Fuel Facility
But as usually happens when the government mandates a means rather than the ends it turns out cellulosic ethanol is not that great of a solution.
New Life Cycle Study Concludes That Biomass for Ethanol Is Not the Most Advantageous Energy and Emissions Use of the Feedstock
Mascoma Secures $49.5 Million in DOE and State of Michigan Funding for Cellulosic Fuel Facility
But as usually happens when the government mandates a means rather than the ends it turns out cellulosic ethanol is not that great of a solution.
New Life Cycle Study Concludes That Biomass for Ethanol Is Not the Most Advantageous Energy and Emissions Use of the Feedstock
Labels: economy
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Big News For Chippewa County
A cellulosic ethanol plant will be built. This will be the first cellulose to ethanol plant in the United States and is an unproven technology. Plus ethanol is not the best liquid fuel option when compared to alternatives such as biodiesel and butanol. But if successful this could mean big changes for the eastern U.P. and should have an impact on property values.
See:
Autoblog Green - Mascoma cellulosic ethanol plant to be built in northern Michigan
Detroit Free Press - State races to be 1st big wood ethanol maker
See:
Autoblog Green - Mascoma cellulosic ethanol plant to be built in northern Michigan
Detroit Free Press - State races to be 1st big wood ethanol maker
Labels: economy
