Greetings Groundwork Friends,

I’m pleased to invite you to an exciting opportunity to hear from Governor Gretchen Whitmer about her support for the Great Lakes at a brief public event in Glen Arbor on Thursday, August 8th at 2:00 p.m. at the Lake Street Studios outdoor stage (6023 S. Lake Street, Glen Arbor).

This event will discuss a recently released Great Lakes 2020 Presidential Agenda that is supported by five Great Lakes governors — and led by Whitmer— to advance six key federal issues related to protecting the ecology, economy and health of Great Lakes. The governors of Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are encouraging all presidential candidates to adopt a platform that includes these positions:

• Addressing the extensive water infrastructure crisis that the Great Lakes region is facing by tripling the federal investment in drinking water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure;
• Incrementally ramp up funding for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to $475 million per year to invest in cleanup of contamination and improving coastal resilience;
• Fully fund measures to address the looming threat of Asian Carp and other invasive species entering the Great Lakes;
• Commit to assist states in meeting goals of reducing the nutrient pollution in the Western Lake Erie basin that is causing harmful algal blooms;
• Supporting federal funding for ports, harbors, and critical marine infrastructure including the Soo Locks reconstruction project at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
• Demand increased federal action to address the challenge of PFAS contamination and other toxic chemicals.

Earlier in the day, the Great Lakes Business Network will be meeting privately with the governor specifically about the Line 5 pipeline issue in an effort to encourage her to join with Attorney General Dana Nessel in legal action to revoke the easement at the Straits of Mackinac. Governor Whitmer has made it clear that the position of the GLBN is important to her, and this will be an important opportunity to help her take action to protect the Great Lakes from an oil spill.

Groundwork co-manages the Great Lakes Business Network of more than 120 business leaders who are engaging as advocates in support of policies that support a blue green economy. We will continue to pursue the Line 5 issue, and share the results of this meeting with our members.