Don’t Drink the Water 36 in x 48 in oil on canvas. 2019
I had the same ominous feeling in my gut when I first laid eyes on the tower. My second day in Indiana was Labor Day 2019 and like everyone else in a 50 mile radius I decided to head to the beach. I actually wanted to knock out seeing the State Park, which is a much smaller park nestled within the National Park but is its own separate thing. I had the intention of completing the “3-Dune Challenge” (which entails hiking up and down 3 of the tallest sand dunes on the shore of Lake Michigan) because I desperately needed some exercise after eating junk food and being stuck in the car for the better part of two whole days. Well, before I could get to trudging up these dunes I had to go and look at the Lake and take in Labor Day festivities in a strange place. The beach looked amazing. It reminded me of Jones Beach on Long Island as a kid. My view was narrow as I approached from the parking lot but I could see to the water and there were tons of families playing games, listening to music, sunbathing, eating snacks, and frolicking.
As I walked towards the surf, I gazed east and west up and down the beach. When I got to the shore and was just shocked by how close we were to this huge factory, which I found out later was the ArcelorMittal Steel Mill. They were the culprits behind a huge chemical spill not but 2 weeks before I arrived that killed hundreds of fish and resulted in local public health advisories. To my right, looking west, in the distance was what I assumed to be some sort of nuclear reactor. I don’t know, I grew up watching the Simpsons and I imagined that where I now was staying could have been the basis for the fictional town of Springfield. I already couldn’t believe how many people were casually relaxing in what I presumed could possibly be still contaminated water. Looking east with visions of Homer Simpson chucking neon-green toxic waste out of his car window in the title sequence of America’s favorite cartoon family, I of course had to find out more information about the structure. After finishing my hike I decided to do the only logical thing- drive in its direction.
Kevin Dooley from Chander, AZ, USA - Michigan City, Indiana Uploaded by PDTillman
Michigan City Generating Station is a coal and natural gas-fired power plant located on the shore of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana. It is operated by Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) which is like BGE is to us in Baltimore. The use of what is called a '“hyperboloid cooling tower” at the station, according to locals, has often been mistaken for a nuclear power plant and Shoreline Brewery has embraced the misunderstanding for their branding.
The siren song of the tower lured me just beyond the eastern edge of Indiana Dunes National Park to the town of Michigan City. I found myself at a lively brewery not far from the base of the tower. In fact, recalling The Simpsons, the brewery’s logo was the three-eyed fish from one of the early seasons.
I borrowed their tagline for the title for the piece at the top of this post. Luckily, local officials are beginning to realize how dangerous these power plants are and there is now a plans to decommission and remove it. “In a statement, NIPSCO officials say the plan is to retire the majority of its remaining coal-fired generation in the next five years and all coal within 10 years. They say that paves the way for lower-cost renewable energy resources like wind and solar power.” You can read more about that here. If you’d like to read more about the different ways that power plants are public health hazards, this is an informative newsletter from public interest group Citizen Action Coalition.
Brewery with a view
It’s still surreal to me when I look back at my pictures from my time in Northern Indiana. I was really afraid to attempt to capture some of the fear and anxiety that I had about the intrusion that industrial development had on this really unique and special place but after really considering it, I felt that I had to make the paintings that I made to shed light on this absurdity. Life goes on and we make the best of what we’re working with but we need to strive towards a future with much more sustainable and renewable energy for the sake of generations to come. I really hope that the pieces that I created will bring attention to that.
Power Plant Way Off In The Distance