As Dearborn Works Idles, New Poll Upends Assumptions About Pollution, Clean Manufacturing Opinions in Wayne County

WAYNE COUNTY, MI - As Cleveland Cliffs temporarily suspends steelmaking operations at its Dearborn Works Mill, Sierra Club is releasing a new poll showing that public sentiments relating to pollution, jobs, and green manufacturing are dramatically different than what is commonly assumed by political and industry leaders. The poll, conducted by Lake Research Partners, conclusively illustrates that the sample of 400 registered voters in Wayne County, Michigan, are highly concerned about air and water pollution from coal-burning steel plants in their community, and overwhelmingly support investment in clean steel manufacturing. 

“I’ve been in the polling business for a long time, and rarely do we see results so overwhelmingly conclusive. Wayne County voters are concerned about pollution and want leaders to act, period,” said Celinda Lake, Lake Research Partners.

“No community wants to choose between good jobs and clean air or water, and for too long voters have been told that they have to—but the numbers are in—people want both. It’s time for leaders in government and industry to step up and answer this mandate. No more false choices. Clean manufacturing is the investment everyone is asking for,” said CeCe Grant, Director of Sierra Club’s Industrial Transformation Campaign.

READ THE FULL POLLING MEMO NOW >>>

In the polling data, a strong majority of registered Wayne County voters (77%) support investing in clean steel manufacturing technologies with 72% of them believing that it is possible to create good-paying union jobs in Michigan while also reducing toxic pollution. Voters also felt strongly that investment in clean manufacturing was a much better strategy for addressing pollution, reviving industry, and creating jobs than the use of blanket tariffs or EPA rollbacks. 

Other standout findings of the Wayne County voters study included:

• A nearly universal 99% of voters believe that Michigan citizens should have the right to know what toxins and pollutants are being released in their communities, including more than nine in ten (92%) who “strongly” believe this. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are united in their view that Michiganders should have a right to know.
• Wayne County voters are concerned about air and water pollution from industrial plants in their community (78%) including nearly half (49%) who are very concerned.
• When asked specifically about air and water pollution from the Coke Works Plant in River Rouge or the Dearborn Works Mill in Dearborn, nearly identical numbers say they are concerned.
  • DTE-Owned Energy Coke Works Plant: 77% concerned (53% very concerned)
  • Dearborn Works steel mill: 78% concerned (52% very concerned)
• Only one in ten (11%) say that elected officials are doing enough to protect public health from air and water pollution in Michigan, while 64% say officials are not doing enough.
• Two thirds (67%) of Wayne County voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate for office in Michigan if the candidate supported efforts to protect public health from air and water pollution.
• When asked who should pay for investments in reducing emissions from industrial manufacturing, about half (48%) say the private industry that released the pollution should – more than any other option. One third (34%) of voters said government and private industry working together should pay, while only 10% thought either state and local or federal government alone should pay.
• Given a choice between prioritizing good jobs and a strong economy first or clean air and healthy communities first, these voters overwhelmingly believe that “we don’t have to choose; we need both good jobs and healthy communities” (76%).