Great Lakes, Great Michigan 

In 2006, the Michigan Legislature took a first step toward protecting Michigan’s waters by enacting new laws that limit large-scale withdrawals. However, more needs to be done to fully protect Michigan’s waters and aquatic habitats from overuse. Stronger water conservation measures are necessary to comply with the standards of the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement between the eight Great Lakes governors to protect our shared water resources.  We must set a precedent for the Great Lakes states and pass the compact.

We also need to reaffirm the “public trust” nature of all Michigan waters. Our state’s waters belong to the public and no single user should be allowed to use water to the detriment of other users. Environment Michigan recognizes that Michigan’s most valuable resource is its abundant water and the ecosystems those waters support, and we must protect them for future generations.

As the only state located entirely within the Great Lakes watershed, Michigan has a special responsibility to protect these national treasures