The S.S.Badger is a coal burning steamship in service on Lake Michigan. Built in 1953 as a car ferry for the C&O Ry, It is the last of the lake steamers still operating from mid-May to mid-October, hauling passengers and their vehicles between Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis.
The EPA wants to halt its coal ash discharges into Lake Michigan. Here is a link to a Wall Street Journal article discussing the possibility of converting the ship to burn natural gas:
S.S.Badger conversion
The Badger is a real treasure and I certainly hope we do not loose her over this!
I made the trip from Ludington to Manitowic in the summer of 2007. Here is a picture of the Badger leaving Manitowic, returning to Ludington.
[img]trainnews.dyndns.org/photos/readerphotos/brucebutler/SS Badger - Manitowoc WI (105).jpg[/img]