When I have 30 seconds on an elevator to explain what the Michigan Environmental Council does, I say, "We're an alliance that provides a strong voice for Michigan's environment in the State Capitol. We're in Lansing to protect your water, air and land from a whole range of threats." While that pretty much sums up what we were charged to do by our founding groups almost a quarter century ago, it doesn't capture the entire picture today.

Increasingly, we have to defend Michigan's environment from threats coming out of Washington. As we face unprecedented challenges from Congress and President Bush, the Michigan Environmental Council is deploying more resources to work with Michigan's 17-member Congressional delegation. Knowing members of both parties are under constant pressure from major polluters-many of them campaign donors and job providers-we're working hard to impress on them both the economic and environmental benefits of protecting our waters, land and air.

With our coalition allies, we've stopped some but not all of Washington's environmental attacks. Special thanks are due to Senator Stabenow who has stood by us on most critical votes; to Senator Levin who came through with an important vote against the President's terrible Energy Bill; and to Congressman Dingell who often led on important conservation issues. However, it was a Republican, Representative Vern Ehlers of Grand Rapids, who had the courage to offer Michigan's only vote to curb the excesses associated with the auto industry's unnecessary contributions to global warming.

As the presidential contest unfolds, the federal fights will intensify. We'll need to work hard to get out our message: Michigan's economic future depends on protecting our environment. Detroit cannot stay competitive with Japanese autos unless the domestics quickly incorporate the best available energy technologies. While candidates from the northeast (especially John Kerry, who has a record of leading on fuel efficiency reforms) will be pushed to conform to the Big Three's self-defeating position against better fuel efficiency standards, we'll be working hard to show how energy reforms are essential for Detroit's competitive recovery.

As a nonprofit organization, we can't endorse candidates; but we can support the best environmental policies on energy, air, land and water. We'll be urging candidates to embrace better energy policies, and voters to consider the environment when they choose their next President. We'll let them know federal laws still underpin most environmental protections. Pull the pin, and we'll be thrown backward to the days of dying lakes and burning rivers.