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In the heart of the Great Lakes, twin 63-year-old pipelines pump nearly 23 million gallons of oil and other petroleum products a day through the Straits of Mackinac.

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Public Trust Education

Did you know that the waters of the Great Lakes are owned by you, the public?

Learn more about the Public Trust.

Aquaculture

Commercial aquaculture or fish farming takes various forms in tanks, ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.

Read our proposal.

testimonial-quote

FLOW got us started and provided a great road map to develop ordinances protective of the health, safety, and welfare of citizens and the environment. With our adoption of three ordinance amendments, we are committed to making sure our citizens voices are heard as the state considers any permit application for hydro-fracturing.”

Steve Grimm, Cannon Township Supervisor

Our Mission

FLOW is a Great Lakes water law and policy 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the common waters of the Great Lakes Basin through public trust solutions founded in 2011 by legendary water attorney Jim Olson. The public trust – an ancient and durable legal doctrine – exists in all Great Lakes jurisdictions and provides its 40 million citizens a legal right to use these common waters for drinking, fishing, swimming, recreation, navigation and the like. It also holds state governments accountable for ensuring these waters and public uses are protected for current and future generations. The public trust demands that we all are responsible for protecting water as a common shared resource.  The Great Lakes belong to all of us and they are ours to defend.