You probably don’t know it, but this first week in June, Michigan is observing Great Lakes and Freshwater Week. It’s certainly appropriate. Michigan has an astounding array of waters. As Governor Whitmer said in her proclamation, “during this week, we encourage Michiganders to learn more about the unique wonders of our Great Lakes and freshwater… Read more »
On December 16, 2016, FLOW (For Love of Water) formally requested that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) cancel its approval of Nestlé’s application to more than double its groundwater pumping for commercial water bottling from a well northwest of Evart, in Osceola County. After conducting an independent assessment, FLOW’s environmental attorneys determined… Read more »
By Jim Olson “With my Grandma I like to walk along the beach and find Petoskey stones. With my Grandpa I like to go in Lake Michigan and body surf the waves,” my 11-year-old granddaughter Ava Bachmann reflected in late August when she stood with me along the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay. We… Read more »
“I’ve spent my whole life surrounded by water, with the exception of spending time in the desert. Living on the desert floor in Tucson, like 25-35 square miles, this urban sprawl is happening, and there’s no requirement for people to demonstrate that they have access to water. I thought to myself, ‘How is this sustainable?’ It drive me to focus on water law,” said FLOW executive director Liz Kirkwood in this testimonial about the impact we’ve had during the past decade.
By Liz Kirkwood, FLOW Executive Director Because we are celebrating FLOW’s 10th anniversary throughout 2021, I have been reflecting with gratitude on how far we have come over the last decade—thanks to you and others in our community of supporters—in securing water justice throughout the Great Lakes. And because there is still so much we… Read more »
While the word “water” was not on the November 8 statewide general election ballot in Michigan, it was present on the ballot in various local communities and in different, more subtle ways across the Great Lakes State. In some of Michigan’s 276 cities and 1,240 townships, voters considered new regulations to safeguard water resources and… Read more »
Photo: A lack of septic regulations can lead to waste in our treasured waters. You wouldn’t “do it in the river,” would you? Michigan prides itself on being an environmental leader, particularly in curbing water pollution. But in one area of water policy, Michigan is dead last among the 50 states. It is the only… Read more »
Image courtesy of Leelanau.gov. Editor’s note: This opinion article by FLOW Legal Advisor Skip Pruss was originally published in the Traverse City Record-Eagle on Sept. 4, 2022. During SepticSmart Week, which runs through Friday, FLOW is sharing updates on efforts to protect fresh water and public health from uncontrolled septic system waste, as part of an… Read more »
Graphic courtesy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Editor’s note: During SepticSmart Week, which runs through Friday, FLOW is sharing updates on efforts to protect fresh water and public health from uncontrolled septic system waste, as part of an annual educational campaign that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched a decade ago, with the State of Michigan, other… Read more »
Dear Ones, Every Mother’s Day, I take a walk along the lake. Some years, blue waters mirror blue skies, scattering light across small waves. I find myself stopping a lot on those walks, head tilted toward the sun. I feel it all: warmth, joy, awed gratitude for you three babies who are no longer babies…. Read more »
