Public input sought on marine sanctuary

Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels knows many community members are in favor of a national marine sanctuary along Lake Michigan's shoreline.

Now, he's asking them to share those opinions with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"To NOAA, this is a very important part of the process, which shows them what type of community support there is for a sanctuary in our area," Nickels said. "That’s why this meeting is very important."

A public scoping meeting is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17 in the Wisconsin Maritime Museum's Riverview Room for people to offer their input about the possible designation of the sanctuary. Those who want to speak will be allotted three minutes after signing up at the meeting to do so.

"It’s really an opportunity for (NOAA) to gather public input on where we are in the process and how the public feels about NOAA’s intent to establish a sanctuary here. NOAA doesn’t just want to hear from elected officials — they really want to hear from the public at large. We want them to see that Manitowoc and Two Rivers are supporting this," said Rolf Johnson, Maritime Museum CEO.

The proposed 875-square-mile area from Two Rivers to Mequon includes 39 known shipwrecks, 15 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"These aren’t just Wisconsin’s shipwrecks. These are shipwrecks that are of national historic importance," Johnson said. "This is a national marine sanctuary focused on maritime heritage as exemplified by this diverse collection of shipwrecks here in the mid-lake region of Lake Michigan."

Designation of the area as a sanctuary — referred to by NOAA as the Wisconsin-Lake Michigan resource area — would focus on protecting and interpreting the shipwrecks, fostering local and regional partners through research and public education and increasing opportunities for tourism and related economic development, a press release stated.

During the meeting, NOAA staff will provide information about the status of the sanctuary designation process, and local and state officials will speak in support of the designation. Staff from the Wisconsin Historical Society, including the organization's underwater archaeologists who conducted studies of the shipwrecks, will also be present.

Johnson said he'd like to see hundreds of community members in attendance. Local support also will likely impact where NOAA bases its sanctuary management staff if the designation proceeds as expected.

"We’re hoping for an overwhelmingly positive response," he said. "It’s my feeling getting up to this point, we answered almost every question and concern, everything from sport fishermen to the commercial Great Lakers, things like the S.S. Badger car ferry, making sure they understand it will not inhibit their business, to the people who are interested in scuba diving on the wrecks.

"In this case, most of those people who thought there might be restrictions have had their concerns put to rest," Johnson said. "It’s a formal process, and NOAA wants to make sure (the public is supportive), even though they’re confident ... in the value of the designation and the value of the shipwrecks as a national resource."

If the Riverview Room is filled to capacity, the meeting will be livestreamed in the museum's theater. The museum's exhibits — Treasures of NOAA's Ark and Wisconsin's Underwater Treasures — also will be open to the public at no charge during the meeting.

Public meetings also are scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 18 at Wilson House, 200 N. Franklin St., Port Washington, and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan main building, 1 University Drive, Wombat Room (2114).

Community members can provide their comments online by going to www.regulations.gov and searching for "NOAA-nos-2015-0112."

Reach Sarah Kloepping at 920-686-2105 or skloepping@htrnews.com