MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) — The largest city in the Upper Peninsula is getting 1,000 feet of valuable shoreline along Lake Superior.
The Marquette City Commission recently voted to accept the land at no cost from We Energies, a utility, the Mining Journal reported.
“There’s no contamination that we’re aware of and we’re not taking on a problem area. … We are getting beachfront that will be a space for us to recreate and enjoy Lake Superior,” said Mayor Pro Tem Jenn Hill.
We Energies still operates intake and discharge pipes on the land. The company will maintain responsibility for the pipes, while Marquette will only be liable for any other issues on the parcel.
“I think this is a wonderful opportunity to continue to add to our public lakeshore, our publicly accessible lakeshore, and we need to take it,” Commissioner Fred Stonehouse said.
A nearby coal-fired power plant was shuttered in 2019 and replaced with two natural gas plants elsewhere.
Catch more news on Great Lakes Now:
Great Lakes trails become friendlier for users with disabilities
Open Doors: Great Lakes tourist destinations make 2021 a new start
New anglers could depress Great Lakes fish populations more than invasive species
