Fate decided: Norgoma will be ripped apart by Purvis cutting torches

Sault Ste. Marie, ON – City council has decided to pay Purvis Marine $395,000 to break the 188-
foot M.S. Norgoma into scrap metal.

The Monday-night decision settles months of squabbling between those determined to save
the rusting former package freighter/passenger ferry/museum ship, and those who believe it’s
a costly blight on the Sault waterfront.

The Norgoma decision that we’ve got before us today will lead to questions of what could
have been, had the ship received the type of funding it ought to have received all these years, had we just tried this tact instead of that one, said Mayor Matthew Shoemaker. I think the questions of what ought to have been are misplaced, the mayor said.

We got the Norgoma for a dollar in roughly 1975 and have had the debate ever since of
whether or not it was proper for our waterfront. I hold the view… that it was not a proper use of municipal resources to invest in its viability all those years. We are at this point in our decision-making because of a decision that probably ought never to have been made in the first place, Shoemaker said.

Tom Vair, the citys deputy chief administrative officer for community development and
enterprise services, said city staff have worked hard to try to find another home for the Norgoma.

The city has signed two agreements for purchase and sale for the Norgoma, Vair said.
Neither of those groups were able to consummate the deal. Were probably talked with 10
different groups over the last few years trying to find another solution.

Ultimately the cost of relocation, the cost to refurbish, the cost to dock, and now the looming
cost that other municipalities have asked to have money in escrow in case it didn’t work out so
they can’t dismantle the boat, has made it not feasible for anyone else, Vair told the meeting.

From the city’s perspective, were spending money on insurance and were spending money on
docking fees so it is getting expensive. That bill has been adding up. It really came down to
trying to find a viable solution.

Unfortunately, the best solution is decommissioning the vessel. We were able to get a quote
from a local firm which was much less than we received from an out-of-town firm, Vair said.

I don’t think anyone around this table originally would have wanted to see the Norgoma be
decommissioned, but I think were at a state where that is our best option, said Ward 3 Coun.
Angela Caputo.

At Purvis’s request, the city will waive $5,000 to $8,000 in landfill fees associated with disposal
of non-ferrous materials including wood, roofing materials, asbestos, oil, lubricants and paint.

Purvis must now move the boat as soon as possible from its current $40-a-day berth at Algoma
Steel to a ship-breaking location.

Soo Today

US Brig Niagara will get ‘multi-million-dollar’ maintenance and upgrades

Published: Dec. 18, 2023, 11:00 a.m.

By Deb Kiner | dkiner@pennlive.com

The U.S. Brig Niagara in Erie will get “multi-million-dollar” maintenance and upgrades with plans to sail “Pennsylvania’s northwest coast in 2026 when the United States and the Commonwealth celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.”

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission said today its contract with the Flagship Niagara League will expire on Dec. 31 but “both organizations are pleased to reaffirm their commitment to continued collaboration for the advancement of Erie and the region’s maritime history.”

The commission said it will make a “substantial investment” in the Erie Maritime Museum Complex and the U.S. Brig Niagara.

“Both the museum and the ship will receive significant upgrades, with the development of new exhibits at the museum and repairs and improvements to the ship over the next few years.  The elevation of the museum as a top-tier maritime history destination will draw a wider audience, educating more people about this important history and serving as a driver for Erie’s tourism economy.”

The commission said that while Niagara will spend most of her time day-sailing from her home port, there are plans “to sail to other Great Lakes destinations several times a year and to continue to participate in Tall Ships.”

The commission said it will “resume direct management of the U.S. Brig Niagara, hiring the ship’s professional crew, a staffing model successfully employed from 1992 to 2009. This model will include hiring a full-time captain, chief mate, shipwright, as well as seasonal crew members.”

The commission will allocate an additional $400,00 to support the Niagara’s operations. That is in addition to an existing $350,000 for maintenance and operations.

In the coming year, the commission said it will “embark on a multi-million-dollar Commonwealth Capital Project to tackle Niagara’s deferred maintenance and to make major systems upgrades. The significant investment of resources over the next two years will culminate in the ship sailing Pennsylvania’s northwest coast in 2026 when the United States and the Commonwealth celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.”

The U.S. Brig Niagara, according to Flagship Niagara League, “is a faithful reconstruction of Oliver Hazard Perry’s relief flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie.”

This past summer, the U.S. Brig Niagara suspended its sailing schedule “due to mechanical issues outside the control of both organizations …”

MacArthur Lock closes for the season

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The MacArthur Lock in Sault Ste. Marie closed Dec. 17 for safety
inspections and routine maintenance. The branch chief on site said the maintenance period is
critical for the 800-foot long, 80-year-old lock’s operations during the shipping season.

In addition to inspections, the dam will be dewatered, and crews will replace fender timbers on
the piers, as well as any damaged electrical and mechanical systems. The Poe Lock will remain
open until Jan. 15, or until commercial traffic ceases.

NEWS19

Japan’s Nippon Steel to buy U.S. Steel in $14.9 billion deal

Editor’s note: U.S. Steel once operated the largest fleet of vessels on the Great Lakes. Great Lakes Fleet, Duluth, MN, operated by Key Lakes Inc. and owned by Canadian National Railway, took over the last of U.S. Steels Great Lakes vessels in 2004. Their vessels, including the Arthur M. Anderson, Edwin H. Gott and Edgar B. Speer, haul the majority of U.S. Steels raw materials to various ports on the lakes. 

Japan’s Nippon Steel clinched a deal on Monday to buy U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion in cash, prevailing in an auction for the 122-year-old iconic steelmaker over rivals including Cleveland-Cliffs and ArcellorMittal.

The deal price of $55 per share represents a 142% premium to Aug. 11, the last trading day before Cleveland-Cliffs unveiled a $35-per-share cash-and-stock bid for U.S. Steel.

Cleveland-Cliffs’ move prompted U.S. Steel to launch a sale process. In a meeting of its board of directors on Sunday, U.S. Steel deemed Nippon’s offer superior to a sale to Cleveland-Cliffs, which had raised its bid in the high $40-per-share range, the sources said.

The outcome is also a blow for ArcelorMittal, which Reuters has reported also pursued U.S. Steel. Nippon and ArcelorMittal own a plant in Alabama that produces steel sheet products by processing semi-finished products, or slabs, procured from local and overseas suppliers. They are also investing about $1 billion in an electric arc furnace.

The deal will help Nippon, the world’s fourth largest steel maker, move toward 100 million tonnes of global crude steel capacity, while significantly expanding its production in the United States, where steel prices are expected to rise as automakers ramp up production following their recent deals with labor unions to end strikes.

Nippon did not give any projections of the synergies that will arise from the deal that justify the price it will pay. It said the synergies will come from pooling advanced production technology and know-how in product development, operations, energy savings and recycling.

“We feel Nippon is overpaying for those assets. This isn’t the technology space. This is still the cyclical steel industry,” said Gordon Johnson, analyst at GLJ Research.

U.S Steel shares traded up 28% at $50.50 in pre-market trading in New York on Monday.

All of U.S. Steel’s commitments with its employees, including all collective bargaining agreements in place with its union, will be honored, Nippon said.

The company’s executive vice president, Takahiro Mori, told Reuters in an interview that the company had operated in the United States for 40 years and that it was confident the transaction would be completed.

“Standard Steel and Wheeling Nippon Steel that we own are unionized companies in the United States, we have a good history of working with unions. We see no regulatory or antitrust issues with the deal,” Mori said.

Nippon’s joint venture with Arcelor is not unionized.

Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel’s shares had suffered after several quarters of falling revenue and profit, making it an attractive takeover target for rivals looking to add a maker of steel used by the automobile industry.

U.S. Steel also supplies to the renewable energy industry and stands to benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides tax credits and other incentives for such projects, something that attracted suitors.

The transaction with Nippon is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2024, subject to approvals, U.S. Steel said. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a U.S. panel that scrutinizes deals for potential national security risks, is expected to review the transaction.

Reuters

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awards contract for Erie Harbor dredging in 2024

Dana Massing
Erie Times-News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a contract for the dredging of Erie’s harbor in 2024.

The Corps’ Buffalo District awarded the $682,000 contract to Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Co. on Dec. 6 for the work on the federal navigation channel in Erie Harbor, according to a news release.

Why does the harbor need dredged?

Dredging of harbors like Erie’s ensures accessible depths for large vessels, the continued flow of commodities across the Great Lakes, and the economic viability of United States waterways, according to the news release.

“Maintaining the operation of ports like Erie is a core part of our mission and essential to the economic strength of the nation,” Lt. Col. Colby Krug, commander of the Buffalo District, said in the news release.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District contractor Ryba Marine Construction Co. of Michigan dredges the Erie Harbor on June 30, 2021. The Corps has awarded Ryba a contract for 2024 dredging work in Erie.

Erie Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor that handled 787,000 tons of cargo, including limestone, sand and gravel, and salt in 2021. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $29.3 million in business revenue; 139 direct, indirect and induced jobs; and $9.4 million in labor income to the national transportation sector, according to the news release.

Operation, maintenance and dredging of harbors like Erie by the Corps of Engineers is critical to the economy of Pennsylvania, the Great Lakes region and the United States, the news release stated.

Shipping spot: Erie’s port on the Great Lakes is entry point for hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo
Project details

Dredging will be focused in the lake approach channel and areas between the entrance piers, according to information from the Corps of Engineers.

About 100,000 cubic yards of material is contracted to be mechanically dredged and placed in an authorized open Lake Erie placement area.

When will it take place?
Work is to take place from mid-June through July 2024.

Dredging of Erie Harbor is now scheduled to be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers every three to four years, based on availability of funding.
In the 2021 dredging cycle, Ryba was to remove 290,000 cubic yards from the Erie Harbor federal channel.

Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@timesnews.com.

Funds requested to scrap ex-passenger ship/museum Norgoma

Sault Ste. Marie, ON – City council will be asked Monday to earmark $395,000 from a reserve
fund to scrap the M.S. Norgoma, which has been rusting for almost five years at a private berth
near Algoma Steel.

If councillors agree, the cost of decommissioning the 188-foot former package freighter/
passenger ferry/ museum ship will be paid to Purvis Marine, which has asked the city to waive
$5,000 to $8,000 in landfill fees associated with disposal of non-ferrous materials, including
contaminants.

From 1963 to 1974 the Norgoma was a car ferry, running between Manitoulin Island and the
Bruce Peninsula. Since 1975, it’s been on the Sault waterfront, operating as a museum ship and
raising concerns about the condition of the ship and its viability as a business.

In 2019, exasperated city councillors voted to evict the Norgoma from the berth it had occupied
for four decades, to allow a dock-replacement project. The ship was towed to a slip leased by
Purvis Marine at Algoma Steel, where it remains at a discounted berthing rate of $40 a day.

City staff have made numerous attempts to find a home for the vessel with many different
proponents, says Tom Vair, the citys deputy chief administrative officer for community
development and enterprise services.

Two agreements for the sale of the vessel were entered into (The Sweet Shop, Tobermory; Jeff
Dwor, Port Colborne) but neither proponent was able to conclude the agreement. Vair says in a
report prepared for Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and city councillors.

Staff have had discussions with a number of other proponents to try and find a home for the
vessel since these agreements were terminated but none of the groups expressing interest have
been able to move forward.

This is largely due to the cost of relocating the vessel, costs of refurbishment, ability to find a
suitable location to dock the vessel and the requirements of host municipalities to provide funds
in escrow should the vessel need to be decommissioned.

Staff also explored the option to scuttle the vessel for a dive site. In discussions with experts in
the field, it was advised that the Norgoma would require extensive environmental work to ensure
the vessel is clean of oil and other contaminants.

The probability for a viable solution appears to be very low at this point and it is not
recommended to incur further expenses for insurance and docking fees, Vair said.

Soo Today

Work continues on carferry Badger’s dock

LUDINGTON, MI – Work continues on the replacing the carferry dock and its counterweight
structures. Mild late fall weather has likely helped to progress the work.

On July 21, the counterweight structure on the port side of the Ludington dock failed, which
rendered the apron ramp non-operational and caused an abrupt end to the Badger’s 70th season.

Nobody was injured in the incident and neither the ramp itself nor did the Badger sustained any
damage.

In early November, Lake Michigan Carferry received the final permits required from the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers to start rebuilding the dock infrastructure necessary to operate the SS
Badger.

The King Construction Co., of Holland, Mich., and Underwater Construction Corporation, from
its regional office in Michigan, have been working on the extensive below-water work while Al
Bufka Construction of Grant Township has done demolition work of the port side counterweight.

Company officials anticipate the work will be completed before the Badger’s 2024 sailing season
in early May.

Fraser Industries to secure $40M in financing for shipyard expansion in Superior

Fraser plans to double its workforce, creating hundreds of jobs

By Danielle Kaeding

Published: Tuesday, December 12, 2023, 3:00pm

A company that owns a Superior shipyard is moving ahead with plans to secure up to $40 million in financing to expand its operations, a move its chief executive says will create hundreds of jobs.

Fraser Industries, parent company of Fraser Shipyards, is seeking funds as part of plans to reduce a four-year backlog of contracts to build and repair ships at its 62-acre production site in Superior.

The shipyard, which has operated for 135 years in Superior, repairs vessels of all sizes in Howards Bay along Lake Superior. Fraser owns several companies that repair and build boats for police and fire departments, ferries and the military.

The Superior City Council recently approved a resolution supporting the company’s plans to seek bonds through the Public Finance Authority. The governmental body issues tax-exempt financing on behalf of local governments in Wisconsin and throughout the nation.

Patrick Kelly, chief executive officer of Fraser Industries, said the funding would be used to invest in new tools, cranes and expanded production facilities at its shipyard.

“This funding will really help us accelerate delivery and get more boats out the door and creates a lot of job opportunities and a lot of job security for everybody at the yard,” Kelly told WPR.

Kelly said the company hopes it’s the first of several phases of growth at the shipyard, saying officials are working toward investing up to $100 million.

During a presentation before the Superior City Council, Kelly said the company’s plans are expected to roughly double its full-time workforce from 200 to 400 employees year-round by the end of 2025. Over the winter months, Kelly said the company could employ 600 workers when the shipyard is busiest repairing vessels prior to the start of the shipping season.

Fraser Industries
Fraser Industries owns several companies at its shipyard in Superior, which has been building ships for more than 130 years.

Fraser’s CEO also pointed to a study from the Maritime Administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation, which found 2.7 jobs are tied to every direct job in the shipbuilding and repair industry. He estimated that could mean between 1,400 and 2,200 jobs for contractors they rely on for electrical installations, painting and other work at the shipyard.

Superior Mayor Jim Paine said the shipyard is one of the oldest industrial employers in the city.

“The jobs are generally the kind that we like to see: reliable, high-paying jobs,” Paine said. “That’s a real opportunity for growth in the city. On the whole, it looks pretty exciting. Although, I’m eager to learn more of the specifics of what the project will actually involve.”

Fraser is making investments after Infrastructure Acquisition Partners LLC acquired the company two years ago. Kelly said the shipyard currently uses around 15 acres of the 62-acre site.

“We’ve identified some prime locations to expand our footprint, add another 60,000-square-foot building, which allows us to produce more boats both for the Navy, other government contractors, government groups and police and fire departments all over the country,” Kelly said. 

Kelly said half of the company’s business comes from government contracts. The shipyard is currently building several boats for the U.S. Navy that include multi-million dollar contracts for patrol boats that help protect the fleet, as well as boats that aid with response to oil spills. It’s also building vessels that help dock nuclear submarines.

Fraser sought support from city leaders in Superior and Douglas County to secure bonds from the Public Finance Authority because state statutes require local governments, or their highest ranking executives, to approve financing for the project. Both the company and local leaders say neither the city nor the county will face liability for repaying any loans.

Fraser’s CEO said officials are on track to secure funding from investors sometime in the next few months. Once that’s in place, Kelly said they plan to begin making investments at the shipyard in the next year to 18 months.

Superior’s mayor said the city will become more involved about potential effects on surrounding neighborhoods and waterways if the company is making major changes, including new types of shipping or rail development. Paine noted workers have been injured or killed at the shipyard, adding shipbuilding is dangerous work.

“We need to be able to be in a position to protect them, to protect their employees and to make sure that they’re doing everything possible to keep their employees and the broader community safe,” Paine said.
Even so, he said it’s a significant opportunity.

Nick Ledin, president of the Superior City Council, said he would like to see the company use local union labor during the expansion.

“Try and keep as much of this business local as possible whether it is materials or equipment,” Ledin said. “Things along those lines — that they try and keep as much of this money in the city of Superior as possible.”

Kelly said Fraser employs a “union proud workforce” and foresees multiple opportunities going forward. The company estimates about 75 percent of spending will take place locally or throughout the region.

WPR

NEWS14

Billions committed in historic decade of investment
aimed at enhancing Great Lakes-Seaway shipping

A comprehensive independent survey of public and private investment conservatively estimates
that $10.9 billion CAD ($8.4 billion USD) will be spent to enhance marine shipping on the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway between 2018 and 2027.

Prepared by Martin Associates and titled “Infrastructure Investment Survey of the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence Seaway System” the survey quantifies ongoing investments in the navigation
system to help support long term planning and the achievement of economic development goals,
while also building confidence in the system’s future viability.

In addition to identifying the level of investment, the survey also revealed investment in specific
aspects of Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway system. This includes: $828 million CAD ($636
million USD) was invested in vessel enhancements between 2018 and 2022, with at least another
$427 million CAD ($328 million USD) planned between 2023 and 2027. $2.7 billion CAD ($2.1
billion USD) was invested to enhance port and terminal infrastructure between 2018 and 2022,
with at least another $1.5 billion CAD ($1.1 billion USD) planned between 2023 and 2027. $3.9
billion CAD ($3 billion USD) was invested in waterway infrastructure such as locks,
breakwaters and navigation channels between 2018-2022, with at least another $1.6 billion CAD
($1.2 billion USD) planned between 2023 and 2027.

• This magnitude of investment reveals several important facts about the future of the economy,
  supply chains, and net zero initiatives in North America – specifically that:

• The marine shipping industry is focused on maintaining and building on its leadership as the
  most efficient, reliable, and sustainable way to move cargo;

• There is broad recognition that economic growth and GHG reduction ambitions can be
  achieved through significant investment in marine shipping;

• Navigation infrastructure and its users provide a key conduit for commercial activity for North
  American businesses – a vital conduit that requires continuous investment to enhance and
  maintain; and, as the world undergoes a historic shift towards more sustainable practices, the
  marine shipping industry and the US and Canadian governments are partnering to actively invest
  billions to lead in the transition.

The survey was developed as part of a larger project that was requested by a public/private sector
committee of American and Canadian maritime organizations. That project produced a study
titled “Economic Impacts of Maritime Shipping in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region,” which
was released last July. The intent of this project was to provide the navigation community,
transportation planners, government policy makers, and the public with a credible, independent
assessment of the economic contributions associated with commercial maritime shipping in the
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region throughout North America. The study showed that marine
shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway supports tens of billions in economic
activity in North America, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and billions in wages and taxes each
year.

In addition to the billions invested by private marine shipping organizations in research and
development, new infrastructure, and new service offerings, the survey captures major
governmental funding initiatives aimed at enhancing infrastructure and improving supply chains.

This includes the U.S. Government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act,
which were aimed in part at investing in green technologies and infrastructure enhancement; the
Canadian Government’s Green Shipping Corridor Program, which will support increased
sustainability within the marine sector; and the Canadian Government’s establishment of a
dedicated Transportation Supply Chain Office to enhance supply chain effectiveness.

“The survey’s conclusion is clear: both the public and private sector recognize that maritime
commerce on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway remain essential to the economies of the
United States and Canada, and are investing to protect this irreplaceable system,’ said U.S.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through President Biden’s infrastructure law, we are
investing in marine shipping, which will continue to support high quality jobs, strengthen
America’s supply chains, and drive sustainable economic growth.

“The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System and its countless ports, terminals, ship owners,
and cargo owners support the most sustainable and cost-effective way to haul goods to and from
North America,” added Adam Tindall-Schlicht, administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence
Seaway Development Corporation. “The importance of this vital conduit for North American
trade is clear, and this survey shows that governments and the maritime industry are jointly
focused on supporting marine shipping’s environmental and technological leadership through
significant ongoing investment. Simultaneously catalyzing this robust trade corridor is the goal.”

20K Mackinac Island cruise ship passengers had $2M impact this year

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI – Around 20,000 cruise ship passengers visited Mackinac Island this
year, making an economic impact of nearly $2 million, officials announced. Nine cruise ships
each visited the National Historic Landmark island in Lake Huron dozens of times during 2023.

“I’m thrilled to witness the growing impact Great Lakes cruising has had on our beautiful island”
said Tim Hygh, Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau Executive Director. “The growing number of
passengers and their enthusiastic exploration once they arrive are a testament to the magic of
Mackinac Island as a must-visit destination. Our island community looks forward to welcoming
more cruise guests back next season and for years to come.”

The charming destination offers unique activities for visitors, including horse-drawn carriage
rides down streets that have been car-free for more than 100 years, walking and bicycle tours,
tasting trademark Mackinac Island fudge, exploring downtown shops, visiting the historic Fort
Mackinac and more.

Regionally, nearly 25,000 vacationers stepped off ships into Great Lakes ports in 2023 during
800 calls, an increase of more than 20% from 2022. Around 100 of those calls were on Mackinac
Island. The season ran from May to mid-October.

There were 11 cruise ships traversing the freshwater seas during 2023, compared to nine in 2022.
Nine of those ships visited Mackinac Island. Detroit and Sault Ste. Marie were also popular
Michigan destinations. Other ports of call were Alpena, Fayette, Houghton, Marquette and
Muskegon.

“The year-on-year growth in passengers, port visits, onshore spending, and the increasing
premium on Great Lakes cruises reflect the region’s growing popularity as a destination,” Anna
Tanski, tourism director of Cruise the Great Lakes, said in a statement.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/12/20k-mackinac-island-cruise-ship-passengers-had-2m-
impact-this-year.html
utm_campaign=mlivedotcom_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid
=IwAR2r9i3I9dB4nQH8lYYF01d8sMzHQtsOStUBoYiC-oQC5-8yi8NiBDL3SKk

Keetac DR-grade facility ready to roll

Keetac is officially in the DR-grade pellet business. United States Steel Corp.’s approximate
$150 million DR-grade pellet production facility, is ready to begin production at its Keetac
taconite plant in Keewatin, MN, say company officials.

“It’s primarily commissioned,” Travis Kolari, head of plant operations said. “We should be
making pellets at the first of the year as scheduled.” The DR-grade facility is a huge morale lift
for workers at an Iron Range taconite plant that’s seen more than its share of ups and downs over
the years.
It means production of a new, higher-value, higher iron content product that brings the plant into
the age of feeding modern steelmaking. DR-grade pellets are used to make hot-briquetted iron
(HBI or direct-reduced iron (DRI). HBI and DRI are a feed for modern electric arc furnace
steelmaking.

“We’re all eagerly waiting for the DR plant to come online,” Jake Friend, United Steelworkers
Local 2660 president at Keetac said. “The addition of DR pellet production will hopefully be our
saving grace when the need for blast furnace pellets is reduced due to varying factors.”

Kolari said Keetac is currently test running the concentrate that will be turned into DR-grade
pellets. To make the DR-grade pellets, United States Steel has made processing upgrades at
Keetac.

“We will take concentrate from the current concentrator and it runs right into the DR process,”
Kolari said. “The only change from a processing standpoint is flotation, which we haven’t used
at Keetac and what’s called a high intensity grinding mill.”

The Eveleth-based Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation on
Wednesday, Dec. 6, approved a Taconite Economic Development Fund (TEDF) rebate of
$1,076,262 to United States Steel/Keetac to help fund installation of an additional beneficiation
process in the Keetac concentrator, enabling Keetac to reduce silica concentration and meet DR-
grade pellet silica (waste) specifications.

The TEDF rebates a portion of the Taconite Production Tax each northeastern Minnesota taconite
facility pays back to the plants to stimulate reinvestment in the facilities.

United States Steel is matching the rebate with a $1,076,262 investment. Together, the funds will
support the DR-grade pellet process improvements.

The new Keetac processing system can be used year-round or bypassed to allow Keetac to make
the blast furnace grade pellets that have been produced at the plant for decades.

A low-silica DR-grade pellet, specially made for customer(s), helps improve the environment on
the steelmaking end, Kolari said. “Downstream it will have environmental benefits because it
will be feeding EAF’s (electric arc furnaces,” Kolari said.

Kolari said it will take some time for the DR-grade pellet system to become fully operational.
“We will ramp up over the next few years,” Kolari said.

The system is capable of producing 4.5 million tons per-year. Meanwhile, Keetac will continue
producing traditional blast furnace pellets, Kolari said. “There’s still quite a bit of marketability
for the blast furnace pellets,” he said.

Mesabi Tribune

Peshtigo father and daughter find shipwreck believed to have been from 1871 fire

PESHTIGO, WI. – It is believed a more than 152-year-old shipwreck has been found after being
lost the night of the Great Peshtigo Fire and a father-daughter duo from Peshtigo are the ones
who discovered it.

Henley Wollak, 6, is used to finding the big one while out on the water with her father, Tim. “I
like fishing with my daddy,” said Henley. The find one day this summer, near Green Island, was
unlike any the duo had discovered before. “I was surprised I had never seen it before because it’s
in an area where people regularly go,” said Tim Wollak.

He thought it was a shipwreck but hadn’t heard of one being in that location before. He posted
pictures to Facebook groups, where someone with the Wisconsin Historical Society came across
them.

“We went back to our database to see if there was anything reported in the area and we didn’t
have anything,” said Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist for the Wisconsin Historical
Society. “However, in the database we have information on historic losses and this fits the loss
location of the George L. Newman.”

The 122-foot-long George L. Newman, carrying lumber from Little Suamico, was trying to
navigate thick black smoke on Oct. 8, 1871, the night of the Peshtigo Fire, when it grounded near
Green Island. The crew was rescued and stayed on the island for a week, trying to salvage what.
they could from the vessel.

“It was actually built in 1855, so it’s a pretty significant shipwreck, pretty old for Wisconsin.
shipwrecks anyways,” said Thomsen. “To have it tied to the Peshtigo Fire, it makes it even more.
special.”

A few shipwrecks are reported to the historical society each year, according to Thomsen, but one
from a 6-year-old and her dad is rare.

“I don’t know how we top it,” said Tim Wollak. “I told her I’m pretty sure there’s no one else in
her school that has ever found a shipwreck that nobody had recorded before….I guess we just
have to fish more and see if we can find more shipwrecks.”

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources did more imaging last week to further confirm.
the historical society’s suspicions of it being the Newman.

A survey is planned for next spring to assess the site for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places.

FOX 11: View images at this link: https://fox11online.com/news/local/northwoods/peshtigo-
father-and-daughter-find-shipwreck-believed-to-have-been-from-1871-
fire?fbclid=IwAR3OGyKtCQ0OsCDTb6qVd1HEBL2YiKPhfT-
dOxMZphxmQSip8bSqC8JBZu0

Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society wins documentary short award
Corey Adkins, the content /communications director for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical
Society has won the Best Documentary Short award at the 2023 Great Lakes International Film
Festival which was held in Erie, Pa. The award was for the mini documentary &The Great Storm
of 1872.  To review the documentary, click on the link below.

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The barge Viking towed to Gladstone, Michigan for scrapping

The barge Viking, formerly the rail carferry Ann Arbor No. 7 and, later, Viking, was towed to
Gladstone, MI, Dec. 11 for scrapping.

Ann Arbor No. 7 was built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI, for the Ann ArborRailroad Co. It was launched on January 2, 1925.

In 1964, The ANN ARBOR NO. 7 was sent to Lake Superior (she was the only carferry to go
through the Soo Locks) where she was extensively rebuilt at Superior, Wisconsin at a cost of $2
million. The original triple expansion steam engines were replaced with four diesel engines and
electric drive. The upper deck was raised to handle taller rail cars.

In 2002, The Erie Times-News reported that the VIKING 1 had been sold to K&K Warehousing
of Menominee, MI, to be reduced to a barge. Although cut down to a deck barge in 2103 she was
never used as such, and on December 11, 2023, she was towed to Gladstone, Michigan, for
scrapping.

Obituary: Capt. Joe Heaney

Capt. Joe Heaney, a well-known fixture on the Detroit waterfront for the past 50 years, passed away unexpectedly on December 10, 2023 at the age of 67.

The majority of his 50-year maritime career was spent in and around the Port of Detroit, beginning with the Norfolk Southern Railroad aboard the Detroit-Windsor rail ferries, then moving on to the Ford Fleet, Gaelic Tugboat Co., J.W. Westcott Co., and for the past 33 years as a Detroit-based captain with the Great Lakes Towing Co.

Captain Heaney is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Keri, and son Mitchell. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Please check the Martenson Funeral Home Website for updates. https://www.martenson.com/obituaries/Joseph-G-Heaney?obId=30086776#/obituaryInfo

Detroit slag grinder gets air permit
despite environmental objections

By Garret Ellison

DETROIT, MI — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has approved an air pollution permit for a new slag grinding plant near Zug Island despite opposition from local environmental justice advocates.

On Nov. 30, EGLE approved an air permit for Edwin C. Levy Co., a Dearborn company which plans to build plant at 8941 West Jefferson Avenue in Detroit which would grind up blast furnace slag from the nearby Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill. The plant would produce a granular material used as a construction aggregate, which the company says is a less carbon-intensive alternative to traditional Portland cement.

Regulators approved the permit over the objections of environmental groups who say another southeast Michigan Levy facility is accumulating violations and the new plant would add more air pollution to an already overburdened area.

“We still believe EGLE has significantly underestimated the high level of particulate matter pollution in this community and that its decision was faulty,” said Nick Leonard, director of the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, which opposed the permit.

According to EGLE, the new Levy plant will emit an estimated 22.8 tons-per-year of different particulate types and is being classified as a minor emissions source for other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, carbon, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The natural-gas powered plant will use dust collectors to cut down on particulate emissions.

Leonard’s group criticized the state’s background air quality calculations, saying EGLE relied on data from an air monitor in Allen Park rather than one closer.

According to the Detroit News, Levy’s Plant 6 at 3001 Miller Road in Dearborn has accumulated 23 violations notices from EGLE since 2013, including four this year.

The Dearborn plant neighbors have complained about fallout dust from the Miller Road plant. The company has disputed responsibility for some of the dusting.The Miller Road plant processes slag byproduct from Cleveland-Cliffs, formerly AK Steel. The plant’s air quality permitting was the formerly subject of litigation between Levy and EGLE.

A message left with Levy government relations director Reuben Maxbauer was not returned last week.

Read more at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/12/detroit-slag-grinder-gets-air-permit-despite-environmental-objections.html

Lake levels declining more than average

Dry conditions in November resulted in the levels of the Great Lakes declining more than the

seasonal average.

That’s the word from the International Lake Superior Board of Control in its latest update. Lake

Superior declined by 3.9 inches last month. The seasonal long-term average pattern is for

Superior to decline by 2 inches, the board said.

At the same time, Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 3.9 inches last month. The seasonal long-

term average pattern is for Lake Michigan-Huron to decline by 1.6 inches in November,

according to the board.

Water supply conditions were quite dry in Lakes Superior Michigan-Huron basins in

November, the board said.

At the beginning of December, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior was

2 inches below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2022) and 8.7 inches below the level of a

year ago. At the beginning of December, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-

Huron was 3.1 inches above the seasonal long-term average (1918-2022) and 1.6 inches below

the level of a year ago.

As for the forecast outlook, the board noted both Lake Superior and Michigan-Huron are in

their seasonal decline.

• If weather and water supply conditions are near average, both Lake Superior and Lake

Michigan-Huron are expected to decline in December by 3.1 inches and 2.4 inches,

respectively.

• If conditions are wetter than average, Lake Superior may decline by 1.6 inches and Lake

Michigan-Huron may rise slightly by 0.4 inches.

• If conditions are drier than average, the water level of Lake Superior is expected to

decline by as much as 5.1 inches, and Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to decline by as

much as 4.7 inches.

The board said an adjustment to the gate setting on the St. Marys River compensating works

will take place this week, with the gate setting being lowered to approximately one-half gate

fully open with the water flow being 74,900 ft 3 /s, as prescribed by a regulation plan from 2012.

Actual day-to-day flows may vary depending on conditions, as well as variations in flow from

the hydropower plants.

International Lake Superior Board of Control