Bushwhacker Challenge 2008 in the memory of Verlen Kruger will take place from May 17th - May 24th on 150 miles on the Pine River and Chippewa River. By getting more people in and around some of the waterways Verlen so cherished, we can help foster a better understanding of how and why Verlen loved paddling so very much. There are many ways for anyone and everyone to participate in this Challenge. CLICK HERE for more information.

St. Louis annual Fishing Derby will be held June 7, 2008. After a morning of shore fishing, lunch and prizes will be awarded in Leppien Park. For more information, contact Joe Scholtz at (989) 681-5378 or CLICK HERE.

The next Task Force meeting is Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 7:00 pm at the St. Louis City Hall.

At the CAG Meeting/Public Meeting on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 7 pm in the Gratiot Community Senior Center (American Legion Hall) at 1329 Michigan Avenue in St. Louis representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, LePetomane Trust, and Environ will be present. This public meeting is concerning the AISLIC/FTL proposed settlement. The Department of Justice will have a PowerPoint presentation, and there will be time for asking questions and making comments. This meeting was requested by the CAG in a letter sent to the Department of Justice on February 15, 2008.

(Washington, D.C. - Jan. 9, 2008) The American International Specialty Lines Insurance Company Inc. (AISLIC) has agreed to pay $42.5 million to clean up contamination at four industrial facilities in a suit in which the Department of Justice intervened on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies. The four sites, formerly owned by Fruit of the Loom, are located in Michigan, New Jersey, and Tennessee.

On March 14, 2008, Alma College, in Alma, Mich., is hosting the Eugene Kenaga International DDT Conference examining what is known about the impact of DDT on human health and the environment.

The Pine River Task Force and Alma College are one of four final groups up for the Carter Award.

The ninth annual St. Louis Fishing Derby will be held on June ninth. To enter, e-mail your name, age, and address to freefish@charter.net.

The MDEQ's five-year review is in process and should be out by September.

The EPA is working on their Feasibility Study.

Sentry wells have been dug to monitor the leeching of chemicals through the ground water. These toxins, such as pCBSA, may contaminate the drinking water. We are waiting to get the test results back.