MILWAUKEE - The U.S. Coast Guard and local agencies are responding to garbage washing up on Western Lake Michigan beaches, today.

This is the second report of garbage washing up on the Lake Michigan shoreline.  A similar incident was reported to the Coast Guard, yesterday, when a ten-mile stretch of shoreline was littered with trash near Manistee, Mich.

City officials closed two public beaches in Manistee, yesterday, but later reopened one to the public.  The 1^st Street Beach in Manistee remains closed by the Michigan Department of Health.

The Coast Guard is investigating both incidents.

Today's incident is affecting private beaches in Holland, Mich.; however, there is no information that the two incidents are related.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter, from Air Facility Waukegan, Mich., is flying reconnaissance in the area to determine the extent of pollution.

For further information, contact the Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan Public Affairs Officer, Lt. Kristie Cabanting at (414) 349-5109.

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