Does water serve public needs and interests, or should it be a commodity available for private investment, ownership, and management? Those who believe water should remain public are deeply troubled by this question. The investment community is increasingly interested in developing markets in water. In the year 2020, the transition from water as a public… Read more »
With worsening water scarcity in the US and around the world, pressures to share Great Lakes water will grow. The Great Lakes Compact allows water to be diverted outside of the watershed basin for “short-term humanitarian emergencies.” But what does this mean, and who defines it? What are the ethics of sharing water? Is it right, and… Read more »
PDF DOWNLOAD: FLOW Legislative Recommendations for 102nd Legislature As a non-partisan, nonprofit law and policy center, a key component of our mission is to help Michigan’s elected leaders uphold their duties under Article IV, Section 52 of the state constitution, the Michigan Environmental Protection Act, and the public trust doctrine to protect the waters of… excerpt-read-more" href="https://forloveofwater.org/flows-legislative-recommendations-for-michigans-102nd-legislature/" title="ReadFLOW’s Legislative Recommendations for Michigan’s 102nd Legislature”>Read more »
Why is less Great Lakes ice a bad thing? This year’s historically low Great Lakes ice coverage has attracted considerable attention. Less has been said, however, about what reduced ice means for the ecology of the Great Lakes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, effects can be profoundly… Read more »
Originally published October 6, 2023; updated February 29, 2024 In what is among the most comprehensive clean energy initiatives in the country, Michigan has become the first industrialized swing state to enact laws requiring 100 percent of electric power to come from carbon-free sources by 2040. The ambitious legislative agenda, fulfilling Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy… Read more »
ATSDR Petition for a Public Health Assessment (PHA) due to significant historic, current, and ongoing air, water, and drinking water contaminant exceedances from BASF, Inc., Wyandotte, Michigan ( EPA FACILITY ID: 110000494019, RCRA MID 064197742) — February 29, 2024 On behalf of the undersigned organizations, representing many thousands of Michiganders, we write to request a… excerpt-read-more" href="https://forloveofwater.org/atsdr-petition-basf-wyandotte-michigan-022924/" title="ReadATSDR Petition for a Public Health Assessment (PHA): BASF, Inc., Wyandotte, Michigan”>Read more »
This week, we’re celebrating not only a remarkable individual but also an inspiring force behind the mission of FLOW. It’s our founder Jim Olson’s birthday! Jim’s unwavering commitment to keeping the waters of the Great Lakes Basin healthy, public, and protected has paved the way for positive change. As we commemorate this special day, we… excerpt-read-more" href="https://forloveofwater.org/happy-birthday-jim-olson/" title="ReadHappy Birthday to our founder, Jim Olson!”>Read more »
The Battle Over Regulating Biodigesters The current West Michigan controversy surrounding permitting for a facility that processes pre-consumer food waste into fuel is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between environmental protection and economic interests. While proponents of the facility tout its benefits in terms of waste reduction and energy production, a closer look… excerpt-read-more" href="https://forloveofwater.org/why-michigan-cant-cave-to-big-manure/" title="ReadA Festering Issue: Why Michigan Can’t Afford to Cave to Big Manure”>Read more »
Funds to help communities deal with stormwater pollution triggered by climate change and to support water infrastructure are among budget increases proposed by Governor Whitmer. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1 also includes some increases for clean energy initiatives that build on climate legislation that became law last year…. Read more »
With FLOW’s legal help, a community group called the Chemours Environmental Impact Committee (CEIC – pronounced seek) of White River Township, in Muskegon County, Michigan, has petitioned the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy for a more active role in negotiations around cleaning up the Chemours (a Dupont spin-off) industrial site in Muskegon… excerpt-read-more" href="https://forloveofwater.org/chemours-site-cleanup-muskegon-county/" title="ReadChemours Site Cleanup: FLOW Supports Community Advocates Calling for Polluter to Restore Michigan Waters”>Read more »
