High-Speed Auto Ferry Builds Envrionmental Partnerships

Partnerships with UWM Great Lakes Water Institute and Travel Green Wisconsin
Highlight Eco-Friendly Practices

MILWAUKEE, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- A unique partnership between the Lake
Express High Speed Ferry and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is
allowing researchers to study the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide
fluctuations between Lake Michigan and the atmosphere -- the first such study
of its kind conducted on a large body of water.
The program, lead by scientist Dr. Harvey Bootsma of the UWM Great Lakes
Water Institute, began in spring 2007. Dr. Bootsma approached Lake Express
management and requested to install automated, GPS-enabled equipment designed
to continuously analyze water samples as the ferry crosses Lake Michigan
between Milwaukee and Muskegon. The equipment is connected to a GPS, which
allows researchers to track sample locations, and is designed to turn on when
the ferry's speed exceeds 12 knots (about 14mph).
"The study's goal is to determine whether Lake Michigan is a net source or
net sink of carbon dioxide -- in other words, throughout the year, does Lake
Michigan absorb more carbon dioxide than it releases?" said John Schafer,
research associate with the UWM Great Lakes Water Institute.
The Lake Express is the only type of vessel available to capture this data
because its three round trips daily across Lake Michigan provide hundreds of
water samples every day. This allows researchers to continually track carbon
dioxide dynamics across Lake Michigan throughout the day and throughout the
ferry's season.
"It's truly a great partnership for us," Schafer said. "To have equipment
aboard a vessel that traveled nearly 70,000 miles across Lake Michigan last
year has given us a unique opportunity to view temporal and spatial changes in
the lake."
The speed of the ferry is a key benefit to the Water Institute
researchers. Traveling at speeds of up to 40 mph allows the ferry to make
three round trips a day during the summer, and two round trips a day during
the spring and fall. This provides data at similar points on the lake at
different intervals throughout the day -- key information for researchers in
analyzing how the lake is responding at those times, said Wendy Olson,
Research Associate with the UWM Great Lakes Water Institute.
Word of the unique study caught the attention of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who asked the Water Institute to add a
sensor to measure ozone levels over the lake last year.
Schafer said there are many ongoing studies that look at the relationship
between carbon dioxide emitted from land and its affects on the atmosphere.
But their partnership with the Lake Express is the first study of its kind to
be conducted on a Laurentian Great Lake.
"We're very pleased to partner with UWM and assist researchers with their
studies," said Ken Szallai, president of Lake Express. "We operate the
country's most modern ferry, and its speed and frequent crossings has proven
to be a great asset to the UWM research. We look forward to continuing
working with the Water Institute in any way we can and to seeing their
conclusions."
"The Lake Express has been very generous to allow us to install this
equipment on board their vessel," Schafer said. "This is an example of how
bridging the gap between business and research institutions benefits both
parties involved. The Water Institute appreciates having a partner like the
Lake Express who share the common goal of studying Lake Michigan and seeing
its vitality for years to come."
Lake Express Ferry the Only Method of Transportation to Receive
Eco-Friendly Certification
When business and pleasure travelers board the Lake Express High Speed
Ferry this season, they're doing their part to help promote green travel in
Wisconsin.
As part of a voluntary program created for businesses in the tourism
industry, the ferry has earned Travel Green Wisconsin Certification for its
eco-friendly business practices. Applicants must earn a minimum of 30 points
from a checklist of requirements covering a wide range of "green" initiatives,
and be certified by Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, an independent third
party that verifies Travel Green Wisconsin applicants.
When meeting these requirements, the ferry far exceeded the basic criteria
with 65 points in areas ranging from water conservation and wastewater
management to energy efficiency and air quality. Ken Szallai, President of
Lake Express, points to the facts that the ferry conforms to current
Environmental Protection Agency air standards, and takes more than 25,000
vehicles off the road every year as significant achievements in becoming
certified.
"We are very pleased to be a part of this important initiative," said
Szallai. "Lake Michigan is a valuable resource, and we work to preserve air
and water quality as we operate on the lake. Our engines burn low-sulfur
diesel fuel and we meet all environmental emissions regulations."
Szallai also noted that as part of the Ferry's eco-friendly practices,
waste from aboard the vessel is pumped into an on-shore sewer system for
treatment, and therefore does not affect the lake water. "We pump no waste,
water or anything else into Lake Michigan," Szallai added.
Travel Green Wisconsin is a voluntary certification program created
through a partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Tourism and the
Wisconsin Environmental Initiative. Since 2007, the program has certified
more than 130 tourism businesses through an independent third party. For more
information visit http://www.travelgreenwisconsin.com
About Lake Express
Entering its fifth year of service, the Lake Express Ferry transports more
than 100,000 pleasure and business travelers across Lake Michigan from
Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Muskegon, Michigan each year.
Owned and operated in Milwaukee, the high-speed auto ferry is the only one
of its kind operating within the continental United States. It is equipped to
comfortably transport nearly 250 passengers, 46 vehicles and 12 motorcycles.
Conversions may be made to accommodate a total of 114 motorcycles.
Powered by four 3,000 hp diesel engines, the 192-foot-long catamaran
crosses Lake Michigan in 2 1/2 hours -- a fraction of the time it would take
to drive the 300 miles around.
For additional information, or to book reservations, call 866-914-1010 or
visit http://www.lake-express.com
For Lake Express photos and logos, visit http://www.lake-express.com/media
SOURCE Lake Express High Speed Ferry

Aaron Schultz, +1-414-727-7798, aschultz@lake-express.com, or Ashley Melvin,
+1-414-727-7789, amelvin@lake-express.com, both of Lake Express High Speed
Ferry