After Decades of Degradation, Michigan Frontline Communities See Hope with Whitmer Administration, Fear Republican Attacks

LANSING -- For decades, Michigan frontline environmental justice communities have suffered some of the worst effects of state pollution safeguards not being enforced, lack of  infrastructure maintenance, and industry friendly interpretation of federal environmental regulation. Appalling neglect by state officials of their duties to these communities has resulted in some of the worst tragedies in recent memory, felt across the country. Michigan’s new Governor wants to change that with her first executive order, but now Republicans in the state legislature are attempting to derail her environmental agenda, with the Senate today voting to reject the executive order.

Last week the Republican controlled State House of Representatives voted to reject Gov. Whitmer’s executive order, and now the Senate Oversight Committee voted to reject followed by a vote down party line on the Senate floor this morning.

“Republicans in the legislature are fighting Gov. Whitmer’s executive order in order to protect polluters, who were just given power of pollution oversight this past fall. How can an administrative department work to fix a broken system when those who helped break it control every decision made,” said Rhonda Anderson, Regional Organizing Manager for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Michigan. “After decades of being ignored by state government, Governor Whitmer’s Office of Environmental Justice Public Advocate finally promises to give the people our Michigan’s frontline communities a real voice in how environmental decisions affect our families, our communities and our futures.”

For years, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) failed to mitigate the ever growing toxic pollution surrounding 48217 in Southeast Detroit, the country's third most polluted zipcode. The lungs of community members are riddled with pollution from AK and US Steel plants, DTE’s coal-burning power plants, a coke battery plant, and the Marathon Oil Refinery. MDEQ failed to submit plans to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on time for reducing hazardous emissions in the epicenter of asthma disease area to curb toxic pollution in March 2016 (but ultimately submitted a plan later that year). In the meantime, International Business Times and a Newsweek Cover Story highlighted nationally how DTE’s coal-burning power plants and other industry were causing residents to be “Choking to death in Detroit.”

“2016 was the culmination of years of abuse in one of the most polluted zip codes in the country. The cumulative impact of over pollution has resulted in generations of health complications by residents in 48217 and surrounding communities,” said Dr. Doloris Leonard, retired professor and local activist. “To regain the community’s trust, there needs to be a greater amount of positive change. What Governor Whitmer is doing is giving many minority communities, like mine, hope that our struggles are not in vane. It may be our children’s children that might one day not have to worry about automatic health complications because of abuse by the same state and corporate interest our republican legislators are now trying to protect.”

On the Flint water crisis, which is still ongoing, the Snyder Administration callously ignored warnings that Flint’s drinking water contamination would impact children’s health. Their emergency manager law paved the way for the abuse of power which created this catastrophe.

“Local, state and federal officials — including the top Environmental Protection Agency administrator in the Midwest and Michigan’s Republican governor, Rick Snyder — are accused of ignoring, denying or covering up problems that left thousands of children exposed to toxic lead in their drinking water for about 18 months.” - Washington Post

Just last week, the oversight of air pollution in southeast Detroit again came to a tipping point with reports of fouler than usual fumes coming from the same Marathon Oil Refinery embroiled in a petroleum coke controversy just three years ago. In Detroit schools, children are again at risk due to elevated levels of lead or copper was found in their drinking water. So far, 57 out of 86 schools in the district tested show harmful elevated toxin levels.

“Gov. Whitmer’s action sets a clear tone for how her administration is going to tackle climate change, protect the Great Lakes and our communities. We share her vision of ending corporate polluters rigging Michigan’s government and restoring integrity and environmental justice” said Mike Berkowitz, legislative and political director of Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter.  “We urge Gov. Whitmer to stand firm and to move forward with a new Executive Order that reaffirms her strong stance on climate change and fighting for our air, land, water and public health.”