Partnerships with UWM Great Lakes Water Institute and Travel Green

                 Wisconsin Highlight Eco-Friendly Practices

 Lake Express-UWM Partnership Explores Lake Michigan Carbon Dioxide Levels



    MILWAUKEE, July 24 /EMWNews/ -- 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