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In a pointed letter to Gov. Scott Walker, the owner of Milwaukee's Lake Express ferry says the governor is wrong to ask the federal Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily extend a permit that allows the ferry SS Badger to continue to dump coal ash into Lake Michigan.

Sheldon B. Lubar, and his son, David, are the founders and owners of the Lake Express ferry, which operates between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Mich. The Badger, owned by Lake Michigan Carferry, operates between Manitowoc and Ludington, Mich. The Badger is the last coal-fired steamship on the Great Lakes.

The Badger holds an EPA permit to dump coal ash through Dec. 19. It is estimated that the vessel dumps more than 500 tons of coal ash a season into the lake. The Badger's owners are seeking a new permit to allow it to continue dumping ash. The regional office of the EPA is expected to act on the request this fall.

In his letter, obtained by the Journal Sentinel, Sheldon Lubar says Walker has been misled and is "supporting further pollution of our state's most precious asset: Lake Michigan."

"You and your administration have chosen to support a Michigan-based business that pollutes our waters despite the availability of cost-effective solutions to become compliant, and employs, by their own admission, no more than five full-time equivalent positions in Wisconsin," Lubar writes.

Lake Express, he said, is Wisconsin-owned, employs 65 people in Wisconsin and is fully compliant with all regulations.

"We are disappointed in your support of Lake Michigan Carferry. We think you are supporting the wrong company," Lubar wrote.

Lubar and his son are prominent businessmen, investors and benefactors. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Business School is named after Sheldon Lubar, and he is a former president of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Lubar also has contributed to Republican and Democratic candidates, including Walker.

Cullen Werwie, Walker's spokesman, released a letter the governor wrote to the EPA on Oct. 1. In that letter, Walker said the state awarded Lake Michigan Carferry a $75,000 grant to accelerate the vessel's conversion process from coal. Walker also asked the EPA to temporarily extend the permit and asked it to act quickly on the permit request.

"We hope the SS Badger can continue to sail, but we also hope they can do so in a manner that safeguards the waters of Lake Michigan," Walker wrote.

Werwie added that the governor's office had received more than 4,000 contacts in support of allowing the Badger to continue to operate.

Lubar wrote, however, that supporters of the Badger were "canvassed from Michigan and other areas besides Wisconsin and therefore did not represent Wisconsin residents or constituents."

Lubar said the Badger's owner was seeking a congressional earmark to allow the vessel to continue dumping coal ash in perpetuity. At the same time, he said, Lake Michigan Carferry was asking for more time to become compliant with existing regulations. "This is the same tactic that they used with the EPA in 2008 in order to get their current exemption," Lubar wrote.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Wednesday that he opposed giving Lake Michigan Carferry a temporary permit or granting one in perpetuity.

Lake Michigan Carferry officials did not return a phone call requesting comment. Neither Sheldon nor David Lubar was available for further comment.