A Special Message About Flint from Sierra Club Michigan

Dear Friend, The man-made drinking water crisis in Flint has made international headlines. For more than a year, state officials -- from Gov. Snyder to his appointed Flint emergency managers -- exposed an entire city to the risk of lead poisoning in their drinking water. It's a public health catastrophe with long-lasting consequences for the children under the age of six in Flint who will suffer neurological damage for the rest of their lives. Sierra Club has been working to help the people of Flint but we need to do more.  Another organization doing good work in the city is the Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative, which is focusing on Flint's immigrant community, making sure that undocumented people have access to clean water, filters, and information. But they need financial support and volunteers.  If you can make a donation or a commitment of time, please consider contacting them today and offering them your support. In the midst of this catastrophe, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter has been working to help in these ways: We oppose charging Flint residents for poisoned water, so we are keeping pressure on Gov. Snyder. The state--not Flint residents--should be paying for water poisoned by actions of the state.   We are working with EPA Region 5 Acting Director Bob Kaplan to ensure that the EPA has support for implementing its emergency order requiring the state to act swiftly in restoring safe drinking water for Flint's residents, including replacing the city's dangerous lead pipes. Early on, we wrote to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy requesting a Flint investigation. Within a few days of that letter, the EPA announced it would investigate, including assessing the actions of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.   Our Chapter Executive Committee appointed a former member of the EPA's national Safe Drinking Water Advisory Council, Cyndi Roper, to be the Chapter's volunteer representative on safe drinking water issues. It's clear we need to strengthen federal safe drinking water laws so fewer people--especially those in older communities with aging infrastructure--are exposed to lead.   We have submitted comments to the EPA on a proposed new lead and copper drinking water rule and will continue to advocate for better laws and more infrastructure funding.   Chapter staff and volunteers participated in a massive protest at the governor's State of the State address and issued a public statement on the situation in Flint.   Our volunteer leaders met with the national president of Sierra Club, Aaron Mair, and came away with a strong commitment of support for Flint. President Mair also personally contributed $1,500 to help organizing efforts in the city.   Our local Nepessing Group of Flint area volunteers has conducted public presentations explaining the Flint situation, distributing water and finding ways to recycle many single-use plastic bottles. Our focus is on helping the people of Flint and holding the Snyder administration accountable for restoring safe drinking water to this struggling community.  We will keep you posted on our progress. In the meantime, if you can support the Genesee County Hispanic/Latino Collaborative's efforts, please do.  Thank you. Sincerely, Gail Philbin Michigan Chapter Director

Duggan threatens suit over Marathon refinery emissions

Mayor Mike Duggan tonight tore into Marathon Petroleum's proposal to increase certain pollutants at its refinery in southwest Detroit, ultimately threatening a lawsuit against the state if it approves the oil company's plan.

Against the backdrop of the state's slow reaction to the Flint water crisis, Duggan said Marathon's plan, which ultimately would decrease sulfur dioxide in the gasoline it sells, would come at the expense of Detroiters who live near the refining process and the resulting emissions. 

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What's the point of environmental regulation?

 Nancy Kaffer, Detroit Free Press Columnist 10:47 p.m. EST January 27, 2016

(Photo: Romain Blanquart/Detroit Free Pr)

Sprawling across 250 acres in southwest Detroit, the Marathon Petroleum refinery cranks through 123,000 barrels of oil per day.

And produces 250 tons of sulfur dioxide each year.

Sulfur dioxide causes respiratory and pulmonary problems, and can aggravate heart problems. And it's just one chemical in the toxic stew that residents of Michigan's most polluted ZIP code breathe in, every day. That area is home to 10 large polluters, from Marathon to U.S. Steel to a slew of DTE Energy coal plants.

Now, Marathon is asking the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for permission to release up to 22 additional tons of sulfur dioxide per year, a result of the company's efforts to meet new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for gasoline. MDEQ said earlier this month that it was prepared to approve the permit. 

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U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow To Headline Event Honoring Michigan Sierra Club’s Pioneering Leader Anne Woiwode

NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY 

For Saturday, January 23, 2016

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow To Headline Event Honoring Michigan Sierra Club’s Pioneering Leader Anne Woiwode

Media Contact:   David Holtz 313-300-4454/david@davidholtz.org

Senator Debbie Stabenow will join other prominent environmental and public officials Saturday from 4pm to 6pm in Lansing for an event honoring Anne Woiwode, the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Director who is retiring after 35 years of pioneering major environmental achievements for the Great Lakes State.

Who:         Sen. Debbie Stabenow, state Sen. Curtis Hertel, Sen. Gary Peters (staff), Michigan Sierra Club  and other environmental leaders and Honoree Anne Woiwode

What:        Special Reception celebrating Anne Woiwode’s historic career with Sierra Club and her accomplishments, including establishing Michigan’s 90,000 acres of wilderness under the Michigan Wilderness Act 

When:       Event begins at 4pm to 6pm with speakers scheduled at 4:45pm

Where:      Greater Lansing Housing Coalition, 600 West Maple Street, Lansing, MI

Background

After serving as Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter Director since 1985, Anne Woiwode retired this month.  A former Meridian Township trustee, Woiwode was instrumental in the establishment of 90,000 acres of wilderness under the Michigan Wilderness Heritage Act in 1987.  Woiwode, who received national recognition in 2014 for her work, spearheaded Sierra Club’s efforts to protect rural families and farms from industrial agricultural pollution and is a nationally recognized expert on environmental policy and law.  She has testified on hundreds of environmental bills and is the foremost expert in Michigan on natural resource issues.   In recent years, Woiwode led the Sierra Club’s successful fight to halt the construction of nine proposed coal-fired plants in Michigan and to move the state away from reliance on polluting fossil fuels and toward clean energy.  Woiwode began her environmental work in Michigan as a Sierra Club volunteer leader in 1980.  On Saturday she will return to that volunteer role when she is expected to be appointed Sierra Club Michigan Chapter’s Conservation Committee Chair.  

Michigan Chapter Update - January 17, 2016

SW Detroiters: Don't let Marathon refinery get dirtier

Michigan Chapter Update - January 3, 2016