Bell Ringers! Archive 2005

In each issue of the Michigan Environmental Report, we celebrate
environmental successes by MEC and our member groups.

December 2005

	MEC chair wins prized award MEC Board Chair Chris Graham earned the Michigan Association of Planning President's Award this fall. He was honored for promoting environmentally sensible planning by local governments. Congratulations, Chris!
	A vote for public transit October 27, 2005 was a great day in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. That day, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners overwhelmingly passed a resolution proposed by Commissioner Mike Rogers supporting investment in quality public transit in Southeast Michigan.

October 2005

	Public access to Great Lakes beaches upheld The Michigan Supreme Court this summer ruled that walking on a beach in Michigan ''is inherent in the exercise of traditionally protected public rights." The Court affirmed that "the public trust doctrine does protect the right to walk along the shores of the Great Lakes." The ruling came in a lawsuit over whether private owners of lakefront property can bar the public from walking along beaches adjacent to their lands.
	Get the lead out Paul Haan, project coordinator for "Get the Lead Out!" in Grand Rapids, says a new federal grant will help protect families in 425 community homes from the hazards of lead. MEC has worked with Paul and other Michigan lead abatement advocates to enact legislation accelerating the lead cleanup. Thousands of Michigan children still have elevated levels of lead, which can damage the developing brain, but progress is being made.
	SE Michigan rail? The earmarking of $100 million in this year's federal transportation legislation to plan and engineer mass transit in Southeast Michigan renews hope that the metropolitan area may ultimately have an Ann Arbor-Detroit rail link, providing alternative commuting options, reducing traffic congestion and reducing tailpipe air pollution.

August 2005

	State seeks stronger mercury control Reacting in part to strong pressure from MEC members and allies, the Granholm Administration decided to intervene in a lawsuit opposing an EPA mercury rule. The rule sets weak national caps on power plant mercury pollution, permits trading of mercury emissions credits, and delays even modest reductions until at least 2018. Michigan will join 14 other states already on the lawsuit.
	Two wins for the public In late July, the Michigan Supreme Court upheld the right of all citizens to walk Great Lakes beaches up to the ordinary high-water mark. And the Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously upheld Michigan's wetland protection law as a benefit to all citizens. Both rulings support the public interest.
	Great Lakes oil drilling banned In an otherwise disappointing national energy bill passed in July, Congress banned oil drilling under the Great Lakes. U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak was the key sponsor of this important protection for the Lakes.

June 2005

	Conserving water Acting on appeals from the MEC coalition, Governor Granholm announced the state DEQ will protect Michigan's water by using the Inland Lakes and Streams Act to control damaging inland water withdrawals from lakes and streams. She also slapped a moratorium on new private water-for-sale projects in late May.
	Stopping sewage A national outpouring of opposition lead by Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak and environmental groups helped block a proposed EPA policy to increase the amount of poorly treated sewage entering America's waterways.
	Context Sensitive Solutions After more than a year of work by MEC and our partners, the State Transportation Commission unanimously passed our Context Sensitive Solutions policy at their May 26 meeting. The policy improves MDOT by making the process, public, and staff more fully engaged in addressing envrironmental and cultural issues related to major projects.

April 2005

	Capitol-izing More than 100 environmental advocates flooded the State Capitol complex on March 10 to pass the message to Michigan lawmakers and officials: work harder to protect our clean air, water and land. This coalition-sponsored day was the most successful yet.
	Tying land to water Touted by national representatives as the first of its kind in the country, MEC's 2005 "Smart Growth for Clean Water" conference brought together 220 prominent planners, consultants and environmental advocates to learn about the power of land use planning to protect Michigan's fragile water resources from harmful stormwater runoff pollution.
	MEC president, honoree confirmed The Michigan Senate confirmed the gubernatorial appointments of MEC President Lana Pollack and Steve Hamp, winner of the 1999 MEC Helen and William Milliken Award, to the state Natural Resources Trust Fund Board. Hamp is also president of The Henry Ford (formerly known as Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village).

Michigan Environmental Council
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Lansing, Michigan 48912
(517) 487-9539
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