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Issues & Impact

Healthy Great Lakes

Michigan is home to almost 80 percent of our nation’s fresh water, and the Great Lakes have a profound impact on Michigan’s economy, health, and way of life. Protecting our Great Lakes is essential for securing a brighter future for our state.

For generations, Michiganders have grown up playing on Great Lakes beaches, and families across the state rely on our lakes to provide safe, clean water. Unfortunately, there is now significant cause for concern regarding the health of our lakes.

You might be an angler from Monroe who has watched Lake Erie’s algae problem grow worse over the last decade, turning the shallowest Great Lake green with a thick algae sludge. Perhaps you’re a parent who enjoys spending time with your kids and grandkids on a Lake Michigan beach, only to be disappointed when contaminants like E-coli make the water unsafe for swimming. Or maybe you’re anxious about the potential impact of an oil spill under the Straits of Mackinac on Mackinac Island and the shores of Northern Michigan.

As the Great Lakes State, Michigan must take proactive steps to implement smart, pragmatic policies that can protect and revive our lakes before it’s too late. It just takes the political will to make it happen. Fortunately, Michigan LCV is here to drive positive change, and we need your help to succeed.

Together, we can use our collective influence in Lansing and across the state to safeguard our Great Lakes and the countless Michiganders who depend on them. This section provides information on recent victories and setbacks, as well as new opportunities to make a difference for the lakes we all love. Let’s work together to protect Michigan’s most precious natural resource.

How Can I Help?

Tell your lawmaker: Polluters should pay for cleanup, not taxpayers!

With over 24,000 contaminated sites in Michigan, we need to take action and that starts with holding polluters accountable for cleaning up the messes they made.

Send a message to your lawmakers today urging them to support legislation that would hold corporate polluters accountable for cleaning up and paying for their own messes. 

Take Action

Tell President Biden: Support the Line 5 Shutdown Order

Enbridge Energy is officially operating the Line 5 Pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac illegally.

Take Action

Share Your Story

Our work centers around people like you getting involved and taking action. Your story is important. We want to know: What brings you to this work? By sharing your story, you can inspire others to get involved as we fight for a healthier future for all Michiganders

Take Action

Protect Michigan's Natural Resources and Public Health

Campaigns

Get the Facts: Line 5 Shutdown

Line 5 — an outdated oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac — is posing a huge risk to our Great Lakes. A spill would impact 700 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, take years to clean up and devastate our Great Lakes economy.

Learn More

Line 5 Frequently Asked Questions

Get the truth about Line 5 and the damage an oil spill would cause by dispelling some common myths surrounding shutting down Line 5.

Learn More
Michigan League of Conservation Voters

All Michiganders deserve a just, liveable future, and we understand what’s at stake. We need to make sure our elected officials share our values. Achieving that is going to take education, advocacy, and political action.

And all three of those strategies rely on you — your commitment and your willingness to fight for justice and the people and places you love.

JOIN US

Get exclusive, real-time updates on these issues — PLUS ways you can take action straight to your inbox.

There are big threats facing our communities and our state, but members like you are already making a difference.

You can help put Michigan back on track toward being a leader in the nation on clean water and strong environmental protections by helping us tackle the pressing issues facing our state and our communities.

Get Involved

Because people like you are stepping up and taking action, Michigan LCV has been able to win when it counts. With your help, we are prepared to win the next one.

Thank You!

Join the movement to protect the Great Lakes state

And we’ll show you two ways to help. Together, we can be a voice for change and protect Michigan’s land, air, water, public health, and democracy.