Gov. Whitmer emphasizes building back economy by protecting our water, health in State Of The State speech
LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement in reaction to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s third State Of The State address:
“Protecting public health and ensuring clean, safe drinking water have been priorities for Gov. Whitmer since Day One and, in her address tonight, she stayed true to those priorities — making water infrastructure, jobs and protecting our health the top focus for 2021,” said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Michiganders are increasingly concerned about their health and what is in their drinking water. With a partner in the White House, our state is uniquely positioned to be a national leader in rebuilding our economy by putting people to work in their communities, replacing lead pipes, upgrading old sewers and improving school plumbing. The time to act is now, and we call on our state Legislature to unite around this win-win investment in Michigan.”
In 2020, Gov. Whitmer took action on major initiatives to protect Michigan’s drinking water, Great Lakes and tackle the climate crisis, including:
- MI Clean Water Plan to invest $500 million in water infrastructure and cleanup toxic contamination
- MI Healthy Climate Plan to achieve 100% carbon neutrality by 2050 and create clean energy jobs right here in Michigan
- Order to shut down the 67-year-old damaged and dangerous Line 5 Pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac by May 2021 to protect our Great Lakes from a catastrophic oil spill
- Locked in a plan with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design and build the Brandon Road Lock and Dam Ecosystem Project to prevent invasive species like Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes