Learn about the issues facing our state and how Michiganders like you are making an impact.
The quality of our natural resources directly impacts the health and wellness of our families, our communities and our natural areas. And, unfortunately, those resources are facing some serious challenges here in Michigan.
From contaminated drinking water and out of control air pollution to attacks on our most cherished parks and natural areas, our state is no longer a leader in protecting our land, air and water. If we want our communities to be safe and clean, we cannot continue with business as usual.
Explore the most important issues facing our communities and natural resources below. You can click on each to expand background information and find the latest updates and opportunities for action:
Clean Air
Good Government
Healthy Great Lakes
Parks & Public Land
Safe Drinking Water
Clean Air
FROM THE HEALTH OF OUR FAMILIES TO THE HEALTH OF OUR WORLD—THERE IS NOTHING MORE ESSENTIAL THAN CLEAN AIR.
Why is air unsafe to breathe in the first place?
- Because bad actors and polluting industries are not being held accountable for being responsible partners to their communities.
- Because some leaders have no interest in developing cleaner energy sources that are both cheaper and better for our air quality.
- Because many of our leaders don’t understand the impact that chronic air pollution has on the lives of families living near our industrial facilities; from asthma attacks to spiking cancer rates, the impact of tainted air can be devastating and requires serious action.
The good news is that there are solutions available that can dramatically improve air quality. Pollution control technologies are widely available and have been put to use in many communities, but not all. Renewable energy and energy efficiency are creating jobs while reducing carbon pollution.
It’s up to us to launch Michigan to the front of the class in clean energy and clean air. It won’t happen overnight, but we’ve made progress already. Will you help us go even further?
Michigan LCV members like you have been speaking out, working to clean up our air and hold polluters accountable. You can use this section to learn about recent victories and setbacks, and find out how you can take action now to fight for our clean air:
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement in response to false statements made by DTE Energy . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week House Lawmakers pass $20 Million [Annual] State Dollar Giveaway to Beer and Wine Interests; Vote to pull . . .
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement in support of new bipartisan community solar legislation (HB 4715-4716) introduced today in . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Recycling Laws Pass House, Will Help MI Recycle 45% of Waste by 2032 HB 4454-4461, a package . . .
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement today after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced all state . . .
Here, in Michigan – a state not known for its sunshine – rooftop solar has shown true promise. Thousands of Michiganders are . . .
Michigan utilities are opposing House Bill 4236, legislation that would remove arbitrary limits on rooftop solar for Michigan residents ANN ARBOR, Mich. . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Michigan Clean Water Plan Legislation Scheduled for Hearing SB 319 (Sen. Rick Outman) and SB 320 (Sen. . . .
Good Government
Michigan ranks 49th out of 50 states in terms of transparency and good governance.
A recent study from George Washington University showed that over 90% of those polled (including all political parties) supported efforts by state governments to initiate stronger standards for accountability and government transparency.
In spite of a clear consensus for reforms, few if any have moved forward in recent years. Adding insult to injury, we have severely outdated election infrastructure.
Each year, there are enormous threats to the health of Michigan’s democratic process, a process fundamental to achieving our mission.
Passing strong laws to protect our environment depends upon open and fair elections so that we can help elect pro-conservation decision-makers to office.
Michigan, should be pushing forward with smart, pragmatic policies that enrich our democratic process and ensure better outcomes for the public. It just takes political will to get the job done.
That’s where Michigan LCV comes in and that’s where YOU come in.
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement regarding Senate Bill 287, which is expected to be taken up . . .
Dear Friends, Welcome to the April 1, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday! Spring in Michigan is always an adventure: one day . . .
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s plan to Build Back . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Senate Republicans Release 39 Election bills – some making voting more difficult Overhaul, House Works on Moderate . . .
Pontiac, Mich. – A coalition of environmental, conservation and community groups known collectively as the Oakland County Climate Campaign (also known by . . .
DETROIT — Today All Voting is Local Michigan, ACLU of Michigan, Common Cause MI, Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Pontiac . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week House Recycling Package Represents Turn Away From Landfills; Has Strong Bi-Partisan Support House Natural Resources Committee Chairman . . .
March 25 County Commission meeting will set critical first step for ensuring safer, more equitable, healthier, and more prosperous communities in the . . .
Healthy Great Lakes
MICHIGAN SITS AT THE HEART OF ALMOST 80 PERCENT OF OUR NATION’S FRESH WATER.
The Great Lakes have a profound impact on Michigan’s economy, health, and the very way of life for countless Michiganders. That’s why protecting our Great Lakes is vital to our state’s future.
Generations of Michigan kids have grown up playing on Great Lakes beaches, families across the state rely on our lakes to provide safe, clean water.
But today there is good reason to be concerned about the health of our lakes.
You might be an angler from Monroe who has watched as Lake Erie’s algae problem has grown and grown over the last decade—turning the shallowest Great Lake green with a thick algae sludge.
You might be a parent who looks forward to spending time with your kids and grand-kids playing on a Lake Michigan beach, only to be disappointed when E-coli or other contaminants make the water unsafe for swimming.
You might shudder at the thought of what would happen to Mackinac Island and the shores of Northern Michigan, if there were an oil spill under the Straits of Mackinac.
Michigan, the Great Lakes State, should be pushing forward with smart, pragmatic policies that can help protect and revive our lakes before lasting damage is done. It just takes political will to get the job done. That’s where Michigan LCV comes in and that’s where you come in.
Together we can leverage our influence in Lansing and across the state to protect our Great Lakes and all of us who rely on them. In this section you can find about recent victories and setbacks we’ve faced, as well as new opportunities to make a difference for the lakes we love:
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement in support of new bipartisan community solar legislation (HB 4715-4716) introduced today in . . .
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s plan to Build Back . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week House Recycling Package Represents Turn Away From Landfills; Has Strong Bi-Partisan Support House Natural Resources Committee Chairman . . .
Welcome to the March 18, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday. This week’s edition takes a look at Michigan LCV’s strategic planning . . .
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony from Canadian . . .
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement after House Bills 4443-4444, which they are calling “More . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week More Bad Bottle Bills Heard in House Regulatory Reform Committee Michigan’s bottle deposit law has been a . . .
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement in support of the MI Propane Security Plan announced today that ensures U.P. . . .
Parks & Public Land
Our parks and natural areas are available and preserved for the good of all of us.
Whether it’s a neighborhood park or a state wilderness area—our parks and public land are where Michiganders connect with nature and also with each other.
For many decades, Michiganders have worked hard to preserve, protect and invest in our parks and natural areas. Their commitment made our family picnics, our beach days and our camping trips possible. Without a doubt, those family traditions are worth passing on to the next generation. And today we have the knowledge and skills to manage our natural areas more responsibly and sustainably than ever before.
But today some of our leaders don’t seem to understand what’s at stake. Where you see sand dunes, they see dollar signs. Where you see community gardens, they see wasted space. Where you see a vibrant forest, they see government overreach. That disconnect has produced state legislators who want to auction off our forests and parks to the highest bidder.
In recent years, we’ve seen protections for critical sand dunes dismantled, efforts to strip funding for some of our most cherished parks, attacks on science-based management of our public lands, proposals to open up historic forests and local communities to unchecked oil and gas development.
Now it is up to us to protect them for future generations of Michiganders. Since the organization was founded in 1999, Michigan LCV members have been on the front lines, stopping the worst-of-the-worst. In this section you can find about the pressing challenges facing our parks and public land, as well as learn what you can do to make a difference in protecting them:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s plan to Build Back . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week House Recycling Package Represents Turn Away From Landfills; Has Strong Bi-Partisan Support House Natural Resources Committee Chairman . . .
March 25 County Commission meeting will set critical first step for ensuring safer, more equitable, healthier, and more prosperous communities in the . . .
Welcome to the March 18, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday. This week’s edition takes a look at Michigan LCV’s strategic planning . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week More Bad Bottle Bills Heard in House Regulatory Reform Committee Michigan’s bottle deposit law has been a . . .
Welcome to the March 11, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday. This week’s edition includes a look at the latest attempt by . . .
Dear Friends, Welcome to the March 4, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday. This week’s edition of Three Things celebrates Women’s History . . .
Activity in Lansing is starting to ramp up as the session gets into full swing. This week saw major action on the . . .
Safe Drinking Water
THERE IS NOTHING MORE VITAL AND NOTHING MORE VULNERABLE THAN OUR CLEAN DRINKING WATER.
Pollution in our water is measured in parts per billion, so there is truly no room for error in protecting the water we drink. In recent years, Michiganders have come to know better than most just how high the stakes can be when a community’s clean water is compromised.
Whether it’s the Flint water crisis, toxic algae plaguing our lakes, or oil spills clogging our rivers, there has been no shortage of threats facing our clean water.
But it does not have to be this way. While our elected leaders can’t always predict the next crisis facing our water, they can and should be taking steps to deal with problems in our water before they become full-blown crises. The trouble is that too often our elected leaders do not prioritize protecting our clean water.
That’s why the actions of Michigan LCV members (people like you!) are so important. You, the voter, have the power to help ensure that Michigan’s water supply is safe and secure.
If we work together, Michiganders can make big things happen for our clean water. In this section you can find about recent victories and setbacks in the fight for clean, safe drinking water, as well as new opportunities for you to take action:
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement in support of new bipartisan community solar legislation (HB 4715-4716) introduced today in . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Recycling Laws Pass House, Will Help MI Recycle 45% of Waste by 2032 HB 4454-4461, a package . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Michigan Clean Water Plan Legislation Scheduled for Hearing SB 319 (Sen. Rick Outman) and SB 320 (Sen. . . .
Dear Friends, Welcome to the April 1, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday! Spring in Michigan is always an adventure: one day . . .
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters and National Wildlife Federation today applaud the decision by Gov. Whitmer to hold the . . .
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s plan to Build Back . . .
ICYMI: Environmental Legislation This Week Senate Republicans Release 39 Election bills – some making voting more difficult Overhaul, House Works on Moderate . . .
Dear Friends, Welcome to the March 25, 2021 edition of Three Things Thursday! With temperatures in the 60’s, flowers blooming, and the . . .
Michiganders understand what’s at stake, but we need to make sure our elected officials share our convictions. 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 the people and places you love.
By getting involved, you can help put Michigan back on track toward conserving our greatest resources and tackling the pressing issues facing our state and our communities. This page is where you can learn more about the issues we are focusing on right now and how people like you are already making an impact for the good of our state.
There are big threats facing our communities and our state, but members like you are already making a difference.
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!