Ever Wondered Why Lake Michigan Looks Green

Lake Michigan looks green, yellow or some other color of the rainbow due to pollution.Pollution from where this time you ask? Pollution from US Steel's Coke Plant. In 2008, it was discovered that the coke plant's old tank farm that was demolished in 2001 developed a crack. That crack seeped benzene into the underground water system.

US Steel discovered the leak and subsequently pollution in 2008. The test revealed that the contamination had reached "600 times the federal drinking water limit." Lake Michigan is only a mile from the source of the pollution, and the benzene entered the lake from a plume that drains directly into the lake.

Benzene is a cancerous colorless liquid that floats on top of water. The liquid is cancerous after long time exposure and when it is in high concentration in food and/or water.

US Steel, however, wants the public to believe there is no hazard stating that the leak was only in its part of Lake Michigan.

The company fails to realize that plant and animal life that has been exposed live in all of Lake Michigan. The company also does not realize that the fish that are caught for food consumption can contain the deadly contaminate and spread it to humans if they eat the fish from Lake Michigan.

In an effort to dis-fuse the concerns of the citizens of Lake and Porter counties, US Steel had a public meeting on March 29, 2009 to answer any questions or concerns; however, if you missed the meeting you can contact the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and/or Indiana Department of Environmental Management for more information.