State of the Great Lakes: Sierra Club encourages bold action from Governor Whitmer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, January 29th, 2020

State of the Great Lakes: Sierra Club encourages bold action from Governor Whitmer

Media Contact:   

Christy McGillivray: 808-726-5325, christy.mcgillivray@sierraclub.org 

Sierra Club applauds Governor Whitmer’s efforts to hold polluters financially accountable for their toxic waste, remove PFAS from our drinking water, appoint an Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and elevate climate concerns across her administration. 

However, Sierra Club was disappointed that the Governor passed on the opportunity during her State of the State to urge action on the many pressing environmental issues plaguing our Great Lakes State. They look forward to working with her on her commitment to elevate climate change and water issues in the coming weeks. The 150,000 Sierra Club members and supporters in Michigan stand ready to partner with the governor and anyone else who prioritizes the health of our communities and protecting the Great Lakes.   

“We are pleased that the Governor has taken some concrete steps to restore Great Lakes protections,” said Christy McGillivray, Sierra Club Political and Legislative Director. “Our members--all Michiganders--want a governor who prioritizes the Great Lakes, and we look forward to seeing Gov. Whitmer establish herself as the Great Lakes protector that we know she plans to be.” 

McGillivray said one of the biggest environmental challenges Michigan faces is opposition from Republican leaders in Lansing. “Senator Shirkey and Representative Chatfield are stonewalling efforts to clean up our drinking water,” she said. “The financial backing their caucus receives from polluters stands in the way of any real movement to address chronic impairment of our air, water, and communities. Michiganders deserve better from state government.” 

The Governor’s State of the State address was mostly silent on the Great Lakes and climate change, with Whitmer promising action at some point in the near future. Justin Onwenu, Sierra Club's Environmental Justice Organizer based in Detroit, was hoping to hear more from the Governor’s State of the State on issues of climate justice: 

“The heavy public health burden placed on communities in Detroit, where Michigan’s only oil refinery operates, is one of the most visible impacts on pollution from oil, coal and other fossil fuels that impact vulnerable communities throughout Michigan,” said Onwenu. “It’s time for Governor Whitmer to use her executive authority to decommission Enbridge Line 5. Enbridge is responsible for the worst inland oil spill in our nation’s history, and they consistently shirk responsibility for their terrible safety record. Line 5 is a clear and present danger to environmental justice communities throughout the state, it poses an imminent threat to the Great Lakes and to the workers and communities in northern Michigan and the UP who depend on the Great Lakes for their jobs, their drinking water and their blue economy.” 

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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 4 million members and supporters nationwide and over 150,000 in Michigan. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/Michigan.

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*Due to an extremely high volume of email--please text or call me at 808-726-5325 if you have not received a timely response. 

Christy McGillivray Political and Legislative Director Michigan Chapter She/Her Cell: 808-726-5325 https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan Facebook: @SierraClubMichigan Twitter: @MichiganSierra Instagram: @SierraClubMichigan

Environmental Leaders Criticize Snyder-Enbridge Deal on Line 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, November 27, 2017

Media Contacts:   Liz Kirkwood  570-872-4956/ liz@flowforwater.org

                                 Anne Woiwode 517-974-2112/ tawoiwode@gmail.com

Key citizens groups leading the campaign to protect the Great Lakes from an oil spill reacted to the announcement of a new agreement by the state with Enbridge Energy Partners on its controversial Line 5 oil pipelines by criticizing a key portion of the deal that potentially allows Enbridge to continue operating in the Straits of Mackinac. 

“Nothing short of ending the flow of oil through the Straits will protect the Great Lakes from a catastrophic spill,” said Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director of FLOW.  “It’s remarkable given Enbridge’s pattern and practice of lying to the state about Line 5’s condition that the governor is now trusting Enbridge to abide by a new agreement.  This puts the future of the Great Lakes in the hands of Enbridge.” 

Measures announced today by the governor that would temporarily shut down Line 5 during some severe storm events and implement more safety measures for the pipeline should be interim measures taken until Line 5 is decommissioned by the state, the groups said. 

“Putting in more technology to ensure we find out sooner when Line 5 ruptures is not the same as protecting the Great Lakes,” said Anne Woiwode, Conservation Chair for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter.  “These are good steps but they are only band-aids and we are concerned that instead of protecting the Great Lakes they will be seen as permanent solutions. They are not.”

“Moreover, it is imprudent and arbitrary for the Governor to unilaterally sign a deal with Enbridge before the legal processes and evidence including the opinion of experts on all sides have been thoroughly reviewed and completed,” said Jim Olson, environmental attorney and President of FLOW. “Governor Snyder appears to have prematurely ignored and violated his own executive order, law, rules and once more ignored his public trust duties toward the Great Lakes, water, public health and safety, and the protection of citizens.”

On Nov. 16 the Great Lakes Resource Committee of Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA), representing five Michigan Native American tribes, came out in opposition to replacing Line 5 in the Straits with a tunneled pipelines, saying it would not eliminate risks of an oil spill in the Straits area waters within the boundaries of an 1836 treaty protecting their fishing rights. CORA is comprised of representatives of the Bay Mills Indian Community, Grand Traverse Band Of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

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SIERRA CLUB IS HIRING!

The Sierra Club will expand its capacity to tackle environmental threats in Michigan by adding two new positions to its staff in 2018. If you like a challenge, want to work for positive change, and build a better world for future generations, then you could be a good fit for Sierra Club Michigan. 

We are currently looking for qualified candidates for a part-time Green Stormwater Infrastructure Organizer position in Detroit who will educate citizens and help install rain gardens and rain barrels in urban communities. We also seek applicants for a part-time Great Lakes Regional Organizer in our Lansing office who will work on our fight to shut down Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline as well as other challenges to the Great Lakes.  

The job description and application information for the Great Lakes Regional Organizer is found here.  For details on the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Organizer, click here.

Sierra Club Statement on Trump Budget Cuts to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2017

CONTACT: Emily.Rosenwasser@sierraclub.org, 312-251-1680 x119

Sierra Club Statement on Trump Budget Cuts to Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

LANSING, MI - Today, the Trump Administration released its 2018 budget proposals for discretionary spending. Among those proposals, Donald Trump has proposed a complete elimination of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

In response to today's news, Gail Philbin, Director of the Sierra Club's Michigan Chapter, released the following statement:

"President Trump's proposal to completely eliminate all funding for Great Lakes protection and cleanup programs is a shocking abandonment of crucial, successful efforts to protect our drinking water and the most important natural asset for our entire region.

"Budgets are much more than numbers, they are statements of values and priorities.  By hitting the delete button on all federal efforts to protect the Great Lakes, President Trump is telling our entire region that our health is not his priority.  By cutting Great Lakes protection, President Trump is cutting good jobs in water infrastructure projects, he is cutting the cleanup of toxic pollution in our drinking water, and he is cutting off hope for communities that rely on these resources.

"Protecting our Great Lakes has long been a bipartisan priority for our region's leaders.  Trump's Great Lakes cuts should be dead on arrival for all members of Congress from our region.  We are ready to work with all of the people and communities of our region to resist and reverse Trump's cuts, and continue the critical work to clean up and restore the Great Lakes that are so important to all of us."

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Sierra Club Response to Governor Snyder's State of the State Address

We are glad Governor Snyder acknowledged that the people in Flint have been without clean drinking water for over 2 years now. It is beyond time to fix this problem and the underlying issues that caused it” said Mike Berkowitz, Legislative Director of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “We call on Governor Snyder and the state legislature to repeal the emergency manager law, improve Michigan’s Lead and Copper Rule, establish citizen oversight for the Department of Environmental Quality, and create jobs for Michigan workers by funding environmentally sustainable infrastructure.”

PRESS RELEASE: New MDEQ Director Ties to Big Oil Disqualify Her from Enbridge Line 5 Decisions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Sierra Club Calls For Heidi Grether To Disqualify Herself 

From Involvement in Enbridge Line 5 Great Lakes Decisions

New Michigan Environmental Chief Who Bragged About Protecting BP Oil 

Would Lead State's Inquiry Into Controversial Pipelines

LANSING--Sierra Club said today that a former oil industry executive appointed as the state’s top environmental official should recuse herself from involvement in decisions about the future of Enbridge’s controversial Great Lakes pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. 

“Heidi Grether’s ties to the oil industry should disqualify her from taking part in important decisions involving oil pipelines in the Great Lakes,” said David Holtz, Michigan Chapter Chair of Sierra Club  “Grether should make it clear she will recuse herself from being involved in the state’s evaluation of Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.  Protecting the Great Lakes shouldn’t fall to someone with such close ties to an industry whose profits will be directly impacted by her decisions as a public official.”

Grether, who will take over as director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on August 1, will oversee the state agency that is co-leading the state’s response to the threat of Line 5 in the Straits.   The MDEQ is also playing a key decision-making role in pipeline policy as co-chair of the governor’s Pipeline Safety Advisory Board.  

As General Manager of Gulf Coast External Affairs for BP America Inc., Grether oversaw the oil giant’s response to the massive 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  Her work in the oil industry dates to 1993, according to her LinkedIn page.  She took credit on her LinkedIn page for preventing “legislation adverse to BP being introduced in the Gulf states.”

“Grether, as director of MDEQ, may be tempted to help out the oil industry in Michigan, just as she did in 2010 in the Gulf when she lobbied against legislation impacting the industry,” said Holtz.   “It doesn’t make sense to have someone with those close ties to the oil industry overseeing protection of the Great Lakes from oil pipelines who in a few months may be looking for another job when Gov. Snyder leaves office.”

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PRESS RELEASE: State’s Line 5 Agreement Gives Enbridge Special Treatment

NEWS FROM OIL & WATER DON'T MIX CAMPAIGN

Tuesday, July 11, 2016

State’s Line 5 Agreement Gives Enbridge Special Treatment

 Pipeline Giant To Get Access to Final State Recommendations Ahead of Northern Michigan Communities & Public

Media Contact:  David Holtz 313-300-4454/david@davidholtz.org

LANSING—Leading citizens groups with the Oil & Water Don't Mix campaign criticized an agreement announced today by state officials that gives a Canadian pipeline conglomerate access to a final government report on controversial Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac ahead of the public in exchange for $3.5 million in funding from the company to pay for the report. 

Enbridge Energy Partners, Inc., owner of the twin pipelines running through the Straits, will have a minimum of five days to review a state government study of its pipelines in the Straits before the report is released to the public, according to an agreement between the state and Enbridge that was announced today in a press release from Attorney General Bill Schuette. 

"Today’s announced deal with Enbridge not only gives Enbridge a big leg up to publicly shoot down recommendations they don’t like; it also provides them an opportunity to lobby for changes in the report while the public is kept in the dark,” said David Holtz, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Chair.  “It’s extremely disappointing that the governor and attorney general are continuing to grant concessions to Enbridge that call into question whether they are truly committed to ending the threat of a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes.”

Gov. Snyder appointed an Enbridge executive and others with ties to the industry to a state pipeline advisory board that is charged with overseeing the state’s risk assessment and alternatives studies that are focused on the company’s Line 5 pipelines in the Straits.  Today’s agreement means Enbridge will also be funding the studies while getting special access to their recommendations for Line 5 ahead of the public, including local northern Michigan communities and residents who could be directly impacted by the study’s recommendations.

“Enbridge has huge profits on the line and it’s understandable that their priority is protecting the interests of their shareholders and executives,” said Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director of FLOW (For the Love of Water). “But protecting Enbridge’s profits shouldn’t compromise protecting the Great Lakes.   It’s the governor’s job and the attorney general’s job to prioritize protecting the Great Lakes. Today’s agreement again calls into question whether that’s really going to happen. There should be no compromises on the integrity of the state's study when the consequences for Michigan and the Great Lakes are so enormous.” 

Since June, 2014 state advisory groups have been studying what to do about Line 5 in the Straits following intense public pressure surrounding the risky pipelines that were constructed in 1953 and carry up to 23 million gallons of oil a day through the turbulent Straits of Mackinac, including during the winter when the pipes are largely inaccessible under thick ice.

“At a time when the state should be prioritizing transparency and public input it has once again chosen to prioritize the interests of a private company, Enbridge, instead,” said Lynna Kaucheck, Food & Water Watch Senior Organizer. “When it comes to something as precious as our Great Lakes we need to put our communities, our economy and our environment over profit. Shame on the attorney general for giving Enbridge this unworthy advantage over the people of Michigan.”

More than 50 local governments have passed resolutions urging action to protect the Great Lakes from a Line 5 oil spill.  Enbridge in 2010 was responsible for the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history in the Kalamazoo River.  Enbridge insists its pipelines in the Straits are safe.

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Press Release: Sierra Club Legislative Scorecard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2016

Contact: Mike Berkowitz, (248) 345-9808, mike.berkowitz@sierraclub.org

Sierra Club: State Lawmakers Get Low Marks

Latest Scorecard Shows House Members Get a “D” and Senate Receives a Failing Grade On Key Environmental Votes

LANSING - The Sierra Club Michigan Chapter today released its Legislative Scorecard, which tracked environmental voting behavior of state House and Senate members during the 2015-16 legislative session. The Michigan Senate scored a failing grade of 58 percent, with the House receiving a narrow passing grade of 62 percent. While the Scorecard generally showed that Democrats voted to maintain or strengthen environmental protections- more disturbingly - it showed Republicans generally voted to weaken or eliminate environmental protections.

“The 2015-2016 state Legislature was regressive when it comes to environmental protection, rolling back many of the safeguards we’ve had in place for decades, while also attacking our democracy. It’s extremely frustrating that the environment has become a partisan political issue,” said Mike Berkowitz, the Michigan Legislative Director for the Sierra Club. “Environmental protections are a no-brainer for all Michigan residents. Our members find it hard to believe that so many of our elected officials are voting against clean air, clean water, and public health. We hope that when lawmakers return from their summer recess, they will see our scorecard and be motivated to get rid of this anti-environment attitude.”

The Sierra Club’s Scorecard calculated the results based upon 11 roll call votes in the House and Senate for the 2015-2016 legislative session. According to the Scorecard, House Democrats scored an average of 95 percent, while House Republicans scored an average of 37 percent. Senate Democrats scored an average of 96 percent, while Senate Republicans scored an average of 42 percent. 41 lawmakers scored a perfect 100 percent. A full list of “Environmental Champions” (91-100 percent), “Environmental Stewards” (80-90 percent), and “Pollution Promoters” (zero-36 percent) is included at the end of this release. Sterling Heights state Sen. Tory Rocca (R-10) was the highest scoring Republican with a 100 percent, second highest in the GOP was state Sen. Rick Jones (R-24) from Grand Ledge at 73 percent, and third highest was Troy state Rep. Martin Howrylak (R-41) at 64 percent. Representatives Charles Brunner (D-96) and Scott Dianda (D-110) were the lowest scoring House Democrats, receiving a 73 percent, and Virgil Smith (D-4) in the Senate with a 63 percent. The full scorecard is available here. A full description of the bills included in the scorecard is available here.

“Our legislature has the wrong priorities when it comes to protecting Michigan’s environment” said James D’Amour, a member of Michigan Sierra Club’s Political Committee who was once an active member of the Republican Party. “Clean air and clean water should not be partisan issues. We used to be leaders in making conservation a top priority, but no longer. This overall direction the GOP has been taking is disappointing and disheartening for people like me who care about the environment.”

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The Sierra Club is the nation’s largest grassroots environmental organization, with over 80,000 members and supporters in Michigan.

Michigan Senate

Environmental Champions (91-100%)

District	Name	Party	Score (%)
1	Coleman Young II	D	100
2	Bert Johnson	D	100
3	Morris Hood III	D	100
5	David Knezak	D	100
6	Hoon-Yung Hopgood	D	100
10	Tory Rocca	R	100
11	Vincent Gregory	D	100
18	Rebekah Warren	D	100
23	Curtis Hertel Jr.	D	100
27	Jim Ananich	D	100
9	Steven Bieda	D	91

Environmental Stewards (80-90%)

None

Pollution Promoters (36% and below)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

12	Jim Marleau	R	36
13	Marty Knollenburg	R	36
14	David Robertson	R	36
15	Mike Kowall	R	36
17	Dale Zorn	R	36
21	John Proos	R	36
25	Phil Pavlov	R	36
26	Tonya Schuitmaker	R	36
28	Peter MacGregor	R	36
29	Dave Hildenbrand	R	36
30	Arlan Meekhof	R	36
33	Judy Emmons	R	36
34	Goeff Hansen	R	36
35	Darwin Booher	R	36
36	Jim Stamas	R	36
37	Wayne Schmidt	R	36
16	Mike Shirkey	R	27

Michigan House

Environmental Champions (91-100%)

District	Name	Party	Score (%)
1	Brian Banks	D	100
2	Alberta Talabi	D	100
5	Fred Durhal	D	100
6	Stephanie Chang	D	100
7	LaTanya Garrett	D	100
11	Julie Plawecki	D	100
12	Erika Geiss	D	100
13	Frank Liberati	D	100
15	George Darany	D	100
18	Sarah Roberts	D	100
21	Kristy Pagan	D	100
26	Jim Townsend	D	100
27	Robert Wittenberg	D	100
28	Derek Miller	D	100
29	Tim Greimel	D	100
31	Marilyn Lane	D	100
35	Jeremy Moss	D	100
37	Christine Greig	D	100
48	Pam Faris	D	100
49	Phil Phelps	D	100
52	Gretchen Driskell	D	100
53	Jeff Irwin	D	100
55	Adam Zemke	D	100
60	Jon Hoadley	D	100
67	Tom Cochran	D	100
69	Sam Singh	D	100
75	David LaGrand	D	100
76	Winnie Brinks	D	100
92	Marcia Hovey-Wright	D	100
95	Vanessa Guerra	D	100
109	John Kivela	D	100
3	Wendell Byrd	D	91
8	Sherry Gay-Dagnogo	D	91
9	Harvey Santana	D	91
16	Robert Kosowski	D	91
17	Bill LaVoy	D	91
25	Henry Yanez	D	91
34	Sheldon Neeley	D	91
68	Andy Schor	D	91

Environmental Stewards (80-90%)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

22	John Chirkun	D	90
4	Rose Mary Robinson	D	82
10	Leslie Love	D	82
14	Paul Clemente	D	82
50	Charles Smiley	D	82

Pollution Promoters (36% and below)

District

Name

Party

Score (%)

19	Laura Cox	R	36
20	Kurt Heise	R	36
24	Anthony Forlini	R	36
30	Jeff Farrington	R	36
32	Andrea LaFontaine	R	36
36	Peter Lucido	R	36
38	Kathy Crawford	R	36
39	Klint Kesto	R	36
40	Michael McCready	R	36
42	Lana Theis	R	36
43	Jim Tedder	R	36
44	Jim Runestad	R	36
45	Michael Webber	R	36
46	Bradford Jacobsen	R	36
47	Hank Vaupel	R	36
51	Joseph Graves	R	36
56	Jason Sheppard	R	36
57	Nancy Jenkins	R	36
58	Eric Leutheuser	R	36
59	Aaron Miller	R	36
61	Brandt Iden	R	36
63	David Maturen	R	36
64	Earl Poleski	R	36
65	Brett Roberts	R	36
66	Aric Nesbitt	R	36
70	Rick Outman	R	36
72	Ken Yonker	R	36
73	Chris Afendoulis	R	36
74	Rob VerHeulen	R	36
79	Al Pscholka	R	36
81	Dan Lauwers	R	36
84	Edward Canfield	R	36
86	Lisa Lyons	R	36
87	Mike Callton	R	36
88	Roger Victory	R	36
89	Amanda Price	R	36
90	Daniela Garcia	R	36
91	Holly Hughes	R	36
93	Tom Leonard	R	36
94	Tim Kelly	R	36
97	Joel Johnson	R	36
99	Kevin Cotter	R	36
100	Jon Bumstead	R	36
104	Larry Inman	R	36
106	Peter Pettalia	R	36
107	Lee Chatfield	R	36
80	Mary Whiteford	R	33
23	Pat Somerville	R	27
33	Ken Goike	R	27
71	Tom Barrett	R	27
77	Tom Hooker	R	27
98	Gary Glenn	R	27
105	Triston Cole	R	27
101	Ray Franz	R	18