Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Lake Superior, MI – 2016 All Letters Should Be Collected by the Nominator and Included in the Nomination Package

Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary Proposal Lake Superior, MI – 2016 All Letters should be collected by the nominator and included in the nomination package. Send them to: Darryl Ertel/Sarah Wilde, PO Box 318, Paradise, MI 49768 The letters of support can be addressed to: John Armor, Acting Director NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries 1305 East-West Highway, 11th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 Dear Mr. Armor, I am writing in support of the nomination to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a national marine sanctuary in Michigan’s Lake Superior waters. As envisioned, the “Shipwreck Coast” sanctuary would protect and interpret maritime heritage resources, including 37 known shipwrecks and 52 reported to be lost shipwreck sites, in a 1,113-square-mile area off the coast of Chippewa, Luce, and Alger counties. The scope of this area and the work that has already occurred in our region demonstrates the strength of support from communities of Bay Mills, Paradise, Deer Park, and Grand Marais. This collaboration among our communities demonstrates, I believe, how greatly we all value the resource and heritage of Lake Superior. A national marine sanctuary would build on the accomplishments by the State of Michigan in protecting Great Lakes shipwrecks and educating the public about Michigan’s nationally significant shipwrecks. The proposed area would include Gros Cap Reefs Light up to Whitefish Bay, around Whitefish Point, west along the coast past Grand Marais, to Au Sable Point, then north to the international boundary. A sanctuary would provide important benefits to this area, including increased tourism and a wide variety of educational programs to share the history of Michigan’s shipwrecks and maritime heritage with the public. A national marine sanctuary would expand upon the existing 376-square-mile Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve. The proposed site includes National Heritage sites, National Forests, Parks, Whitefish Point Light Station which is the oldest active Lighthouse on Lake Superior, Au Sable Light Station, Point Iroquois Light Station, Crisp Point Light Station and the Gros Cap Reefs Light. There are five historic locations of late 1800’s Lifesaving Stations of Crisp Point, Deer Park, Two-Heart River, Vermilion, and Grand Marais in this area. The Vermilion structure is the only original 1876 building of the USLSS architecture remaining in the country. The Little Traverse Conservancy holds the land and buildings in trust. It would be of great benefit to the State, local communities, and user groups to be part of the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System. The potential to support teaching and research by expanding opportunities for faculty and students exists. The location of the National Marine Sanctuary in our region will enhance our educators’ and members’ work to bring external research funds to our region and state. Such research will help us serve the residents through greater educational opportunities for students, as well as looking at problems such as effects of land use on watersheds and Lake Superior, lake ecology, invasive species, and factors affecting historic shipwrecks. We enthusiastically support the submission of a nomination package to NOAA to add this Michigan site to its inventory of potential national marine sanctuaries. This sanctuary will greatly enhance our region and our state. Sincerely, .

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