Dear Editor:
Oak trees larger than 200 inches in circumference are estimated to be about 250 years old.
Much of southern Michigan was an oak prairie during the mid-1700s. America was a colony, Michigan was a wilderness, and an acorn sprouted and thrived through bitter winters, hot summers, brutal storms, and warm spring days.
An oak gives us more oxygen and stores more carbon than almost any other tree because of the wide canopy and massive structure. The oak on our property has a canopy of over 120 feet, its trunk is 16.5 feet around.
Spring of 2023 may be its last year.
Being strong and standing alone is no match for the Law of Eminent Domain, Consumers Energy Company, and their fossil fuel pipeline.
We are sharing this information in honor of the tree and to make people aware of the cost to our environment when we allow power companies to create our future world of energy supply to renewable, sustainable, clean energy sources.
This 55-mile pipeline through our community will cost rate payers $550 million dollars powered by fossil fuel.
Consumers Energy representatives said that during past construction they have rescued adult turtles and turtle eggs from the right-of-way. We understand they can’t transplant a 250-year-old oak, however, they could choose to move the pipeline further away from the tree.
Recently, we received a letter from Consumers Energy, with the heading, “Our customers as partners” the letter was about how to reduce energy cost. It was suggested to use a clothesline to dry our laundry, which seemed to be lacking in impact and relevant to our present technology-driven society.
We have hope for the future, that more oak trees will be honored, and we will be creating a solar or wind farm on our property instead of a gas pipeline.
Gary and Doris Galvin
Sylvan Township
