We are committed to protecting and preserving our Great Lakes and ensuring clean, safe, affordable drinking water for every Michigander.
Surrounded by 80 percent of our nation’s fresh surface water, Michigan’s nickname as the “Great Lakes State” is well deserved. The Great Lakes have a profound impact on nearly every aspect of our way of life here in Michigan. Our economy, outdoor recreation, and drinking water all depend on the health of the Great Lakes, but right now, there are a number of issues looming over our Great Lakes threatening our way of life and most precious resource.
Despite being a basic human right, access to clean, affordable drinking water and the health of our Great Lakes face numerous threats. Some of these include:
Protecting our water and the Great Lakes is part of our work to protect the health of Michigan and it’s communities and preserve a central part of Michigan’s identity for future generations.
Enbridge’s aging Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac is a ticking time bomb threatening an oil spill in our Great Lakes. The pipeline is past its lifespan for safe operation and a spill will devastate Michigan’s environmental health and economy.
All communities deserve clean air, safe drinking water and a future free from pollution. Governor Whitmer has a plan for clean water and a healthy climate.
Decades of disinvestment in our water infrastructure continues to put communities in harm’s way. Rural and urban communities require more investment to ensure drinking water is safe from toxic metals, PFAS, and other contaminants.
Toxic algae blooms caused by agricultural, wastewater and stormwater runoff has contaminated drinking water, led to beach closures, and fed an ecological “dead zone” in Lake Erie. We need policy discussions to solve these problems.
In a state surrounded by 80% of our nation’s fresh surface water, it is critical we protect our water from harmful pollutants like PFAS, the industrial “forever” chemicals discharged into our waterways.
