Michigan Citizens Voice Opinions on Great Lakes
Which Great Lakes issues are most important to Michigan citizens?

To answer this question, members of the Michigan legislature's Great Lakes Conservation Task Force held a series of public hearings in 2001. Concerned citizens throughout the state voiced their opinions on everything from directional drilling to water diversions to municipal sewage control, among many others.

The task force's final report, The Citizens' Agenda … An Action Plan to Protect the Great Lakes, covers 17 priority issues and includes 66 recommendations.
"The report is a blueprint for Great Lakes protection for years to come," said Sen. Ken Sikkema (R-Grandville), chair of the task force.

The great debate
Sikkema reviewed the report May 22 at a Lansing luncheon event, "Great Lakes, Great Debate," sponsored by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. "The issue now is ‘how do we implement [the recommendations]?" said Sikkema. "That's where the debate comes in."

Also invited to speak was Keith Schneider, Executive Director of the Michigan Land Use Institute in Benzonia. Schneider noted that Michigan is experiencing a "remarkable and quick consensus" about the value of the Great Lakes to our communities, economy and quality of life. "We are the Saudi Arabia of fresh water," he said. "How we treat our fresh water over the next century will define who we are as a state."

Both speakers addressed the issue of funding to implement the recommendations. According to Sikkema, decision-makers must set priorities and obtain the appropriate taxpayer funding. He noted that the legislature has already acted on several recommendations, including a moratorium on directional drilling, a ban on mercury thermometers and a bond proposal to address sewage contaminants.

Sikkema also emphasized the damage caused by aquatic nuisance species. "It's a mistake to have a cavalier attitude about nonnative species. Science tells us the impact is largely negative and it gets worse over time."

While many of the recommendations remain to be implemented, the report's essence - to protect the Great Lakes - was not disputed. "Our economy in the 21st century is going to be based on quality of life," Schneider said. "The Great Lakes are wonderful gems that attract people to Michigan. If we lose them, we become economically uncompetititve. The cost of harming this resource and recovering it is so large … we ought not to harm it in the first place."