A time-critical removal action is being conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency at the West Shore Fishing Museum to address a historical release of creosote (also known as coal tar) onto the shore of Lake Michigan and in the woods near the West Shore Fishing Museum, in addition to five heavily corroded, mostly empty drums containing creosote.
The site operated as a commercial fishery from the late 1800s into the mid 1900s, collecting fish in Green Bay. Fishing nets used during this period were made of material less durable than today, and the nets used at the time were dipped in creosote to extend the life of the material, by using a hand-operated crane. As the nets were dragged or carted to the fishing boats, creosote was deposited along the shoreline and formed clumps that were eventually buried by sand due to variations in lake levels.
The property was eventually donated for use as a public park and non-profit museum that covers the history of commercial fishing operations along Green Bay.
In 2021, Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy received a call from one of the volunteers at the museum about creosote that had been discovered along the shore as the sand had been washed away. EGLE referred the site to EPA for a site assessment and a removal action began in August of 2024.
