Michigan Environmental Council

Michigan
Environmental Report

Volume 22 . Number 6
December 2004

PURPOSE
Founded in 1980, MEC is a coalition of over 60 environmental, public health, and faith-based organizations with nearly 200,000 individual members. For over 20 years, MEC has provided a voice at the State Capitol. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse of environmental information, MEC develops public policy, educates elected officials and the public, and provides training and support to member organizations.

SUBSCRIBE

OFFICERS

Chairperson
Chris Graham,
Michigan Natural Areas Council

Vice Chair
Vicki Levengood,
National Environmental Trust

Vice Chair
Terry Miller,
Lone Tree Council

Treasurer
Tom Leonard,
West Michigan Environmental Action Council

Secretary
Brian Imus,
PIRGIM

MEC STAFF

President
Lana Pollack

Policy Director
James Clift

Associate Director
Patrick Diehl

Land Programs Director
Conan Smith

Special Projects Coodinator
Brad Garmon

Office Manager
Judy Bearup

Member Services Director
Michele Scarborough

Policy Specialist
David Gard

Policy Advisor
Dave Dempsey

Environmental Campaign Coordinator
Wendi Tilden

ECCO Field Director
Stephanie Anderson

Land Programs Assistant
Ben Stupka

MER Design & Layout
Rose Homa

Clean Water launches Great Lakes protection effort

Michigan Clean Water Action has also launched a Great Lakes program. Headed by former Michigan CWA Director Cyndi Roper, the program also includes Dave Dempsey as part-time policy advisor. Dave also continues to serve MEC in a part-time capacity.

Great Lakes protection and restoration will be the focus of the new multi-state effort directed by veteran environmental policy expert Roper, the national president of Clean Water Action announced.

David Zwick, Clean Water Action President, said the organization has 250,000 member households and 10 offices in the seven-state Great Lakes region.

Roper, who has been Michigan Director of Clean Water Action since 1995, will oversee Clean Water Action's Great Lakes work from the organization's Grand Rapids office. Roper's primary initial focus will be on Michigan, the only state wholly within the Great Lakes basin. Roper will also work with Clean Water Action members, staff and a wide variety of groups in other Great Lakes basin states on federal and regional water issues.

Dempsey brings decades of experience to the organization at a time when Clean Water Action is expanding its programs to respond to a number of threats to the Lakes. His work at Clean Water Action and its sister organization, the Clean Water Fund, will be a return engagement to an organization that Dempsey served from 1991-1994.

Clean Water Action is a national citizens' organization working for clean, safe and affordable water, prevention of health-threatening pollution, creation of environmentally-safe jobs and businesses, and empowerment of people to make democracy work.