Michigan is at the heart of our Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes make up the largest body of fresh water on Earth. For many of us, the Great Lakes are central to our quality of life. They are a vital natural resource that has shaped Michigan's history and culture and we continue to rely on them for clean drinking water and a thriving economy. That's why the Michigan Chapter's volunteers and staff are working so hard to restore and protect our precious Great Lakes.
Great Lakes Program
The Great Lakes hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface water supply and 90% of the fresh surface water in the U.S. Currently, they provide drinking water to over 42 million people and also add adventure, serenity and beauty to the our lives. The health of these lakes, which are home to countless unique species, is critical. The goal of the Great Lakes, Great Communities Campaign is to protect our communities from the worst damage caused by climate change while helping to protect, restore, and preserve the water resources of the Great Lakes.
Our campaign has four outcomes:
- Demonstrate the effectiveness of green infrastructure solutions.
- Increase the awareness and implementation of water conservation techniques in Detroit.
- Work with Detroit residents to continue the implementation of green infrastructure.
- Increase the City of Detroit's use of green infrastructure.
Do you want to help protect the Great Lakes? Email glgc@michigan.sierraclub.org or check out our volunteer opportunities to get involved.
Last Chance To Stop Line 5
Over 12,000 people submitted comments to the Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes & Environment (EGLE) opposing one of Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel permit applications. Enbridge is back with a different permit application, and this one could allow the company to discharge billions of gallons of industrial construction wastewater into Lake Michigan while it drills a tunnel through the Straits of Mackinac.
This is your last major opportunity to tell EGLE and Governor Whitmer to reject Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel before the state decides in July whether to permit this dangerous project.
Please submit your comment now and tell EGLE: Reject Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel wastewater permit. We made it easy for you - it takes 1 minute.
Enbridge is asking EGLE for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit that would authorize the company to:
- Dump wastewater into Lake Michigan, enough to fill nine Olympic-size swimming pools every day
- Withdraw up to 2 million gallons of water per day directly from the Great Lakes
- Discharge nasty pollutants connected to tunnel boring, heavy machinery, metals, oil, grease, and water treatment chemicals
This is not routine paperwork. It is a request to use one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive freshwater passages as an industrial construction discharge zone. A tunnel would not solve the Line 5 problem. It would extend it for another generation while keeping Michigan locked into Enbridge’s aging oil infrastructure and continued threats to the Great Lakes.
Governor Whitmer pledged to shut down Line 5 because it threatens our water. Now her administration must decide whether to help Enbridge build a tunnel to keep Line 5 operating for decades more. The answer must be no.
The public comment deadline is June 30, and EGLE is expected to make its decision in July. We need Michigan’s leaders to hear from as many people as possible before that decision is made.
Protect the Great Lakes. Reject the permit. Shut down Line 5.
Thank you for taking action!
Join us for our Line 5 June Briefing:
The Dirty Truth About Line 5 Tunnel Construction
Tuesday, June 9, at 7:00 p.m. EDT via Zoom
At our June Campaign Briefing, we’ll discuss the local impacts of the proposed Line 5 tunnel, poised to turn the Straits of Mackinac into a multi-year industrialized construction zone.
We’ll also talk about the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 oil tunnel, a key water discharge permit that the State of Michigan is now taking public comments on through June 30. Whether you plan to submit a written public comment or speak at the upcoming hearing on June 18, we’ll have some helpful messaging hints to share with you.
Come meet the organizing team and volunteers who are building the grassroots pressure needed to protect the Great Lakes and shut down Line 5. We'll show you concrete ways to amplify your impact and answer any questions you might have.
Register for Campaign Briefing
We hope you'll join us, and please invite a friend!
Stormwater Specialist Training Program
The Stormwater Specialist Training (SWST) program is a green jobs initiative in collaboration with Friends of the Rouge that prepares individuals to manage and maintain large-scale green stormwater infrastructure installations. Participants attend a free eight-week course series that aims to introduce and develop a deep understanding of various types of green infrastructure installations and their stormwater management properties. Upon completion, participants will be able to weed native gardens, use plant identification techniques, conduct photo monitoring, complete soil identification, observe and correct erosion and sediment issues, and transplant and thin plants. Additionally, participants can expect to strengthen their work readiness skills to aid in their success in the course.
2026 Course Dates and Times
May 19th-July 9th
8 Weeks, 16 Classes
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9 am – 12 pm
Class Location:
St. Suzanne Cody Rouge Community Resource Center
19321 W. Chicago, Detroit, 48228
This opportunity has closed, please check back for the next cohort launch.
Plastics Pollution
Sierra Club leader and plastics expert, Art Hirsch, presented on Microplastics in the Great Lakes. Watch the webinar below: