July 26th, 2023

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During the summer of 2023 Michigan’s Office of Attorney General joined with California and 5 other Attorney’s General to formally comment in support of the US Biden Administration’s national Ocean Justice Strategy. The strategy, which also includes the Great Lakes (of which Michigan boasts 3288 linear miles) is being developed by the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality. The joint letter called for the inclusion of seven major objectives:   

  • Equitable public access to the oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes.
  • Alleviate the impacts of air pollution sources on nearby ocean justice communities.
  • Comprehensively identify all of the disparate harms ocean justice communities face from various sources of pollution.
  • Equitable management and protection of the oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes.
  • Addressing and mending past harms and injustices. 
  • Equitable adaptation to climate change.
  • Meaningful engagement of ocean justice communities early in the process of any federal action.

Michigan’s unparalleled freshwater coastline resources are globally unique.  Protecting those resources and ensuring equitable access to this shared heritage, now and into the future, is of paramount interest to Michiganders and all those that depend on the Great Lakes.  Michigan LCV applauds Attorney General Nessel for taking an interest in this issue.