ALPHA -- In Iron County, Stambaugh Township has a new ordinance in Chicaugon Lake requiring anyone wanting to launch their boats to pay. It's all part of an effort to fight Eurasian Milfoil, an invasive species.
However, boaters and fisherman are not fond of the new ordinance; some allegedly even retaliating.
Stambaugh Township Supervisor Eugene Pellizzaro is issuing citations to individuals not complying with the new ordinance.
The Chicaugon Lake boat landing was once free to use, but anyone now wanting to launch their boat will have to pay $10 a day or purchase a seasonal pass.
The costs for Seasonal Passes are:
$10 for non-motorized crafts
$30 for small watercrafts-less than 15' in length
$40 for large watercrafts-15' or more in length
Violators will be fined $200.
After acknowledging the problem four years ago, Pellizzaro says the township board adopted the ordinance last year to raise funds to fight the Eurasian Milfoil. He says those using the lake should assume some of the financial responsibility in maintaining it.
So far, 16 acres were successfully treated early this summer, costing $17,000, all from donations.
"It's one thousand an acre to treat the lake," explains Pellizzaro. "You can depend so much on donations, and pretty soon people get tired of donating."
Fisherman Chuck Abbott says his love for the lake keeps him coming back.
"I'd say boat traffic on the lake is down by a good 80 percent easy," says Abbott.
Abbott disagrees with the new ordinance and is worried about the chemicals in treating the lake.
"At one point you could drink the water out of this lake with no problems, but I wouldn't trust it to even to swim in," Abbott explains.
Pellizzaro says residents shouldn't worry about the chemical because it just targets the milfoil and that you can swim in the water that has been treated within 24 hours.
Ann Hruska of the Dickinson Conservation District says in Michigan, lake management efforts are done by the local lake associations and landowners. She expresses that it's a major effort without any help from grants or government funding.
"Will we ever get rid of it? No," explains Hruska. "If you can manage it to a level where it's not so intrusive, where you can fish, boat and swim, that's probably where most boats aim."
To enforce the ordinance, a hunting camera has been set up to catch boaters who don't have a permit and the unhappy residents that Pellizzaro says are allegedly removing permits from the box in retaliation for the new ordinance.
All of the money that's collected this summer, which has reached $12,000, will be used next year to chemically treat the lake.
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