Environmental Law & Policy Center and Groundwork urge pushback against Trump administration's war on the Great Lakes

This afternoon in Traverse City, come hear two Midwest environmental leaders present strategies to push back on threats to the progress of restoring the Great Lakes and safe clean drinking water. The happy hour presentation will take place from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Bluewater Event Center, 13424 S. West Bay Shore Dr. (M-22: just south of the Dockside Party Store) west of Traverse City. All are welcome.

Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Chicago-based Environmental Law & Policy Center, and Groundwork Executive Director Hans Voss will focus on countering the Trump administration’s proposed complete elimination of $300 million in funding for the bipartisan-supported Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in the FY 2018 budget, which has provided $2.2 billion for about 3,000 projects since its inception, and persuading Michigan policymakers to decide on an alternative to the dangerous Line 5 pipeline.

“President Trump won his election in the pivotal Great Lakes states, but his misguided policies and practices amount to a War on the Great Lakes,” said Learner. “The Trump administration is eliminating funding for the sensible and successful Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, rolling back Clean Water standards and reconsidering the additions to the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron. The Trump Administration doesn’t seem to understand how much Michiganders care about protecting the Great Lakes where we live, work and play, and which provides safe clean drinking water for 42 million people.”

With respect to the campaign to protect the Great Lakes from an oil spill from the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac, Voss will urge attendees to comment this month on safer alternatives proposed by the Michigan State Pipeline Safety Advisory Board.

“The time for state decision-makers to study and debate what to do about the Line 5 pipeline is over,” said Voss. “Now is the time for citizens to speak up and push for lawmakers to shut down the pipeline once and for all.”