Articles and Blog Posts

Register Now Flow Water Advocates and our allies are challenging the MPSC’s Line 5 tunnel permit in the Michigan Supreme Court, and you’re invited to a gathering and press conference in Lansing on March 11.  Join in community at Lansing’s Central United Methodist Church at 9:00am to listen to oral …Read More »

Webinar Registration Traverse City, Mich. – Michigan’s water and public health are threatened by an estimated 330,000 failing septic systems, but new legislation (SB 771) recently introduced by Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) proposes common-sense statewide septic standards to help keep human and household wastes out of our lakes, rivers, and drinking water …Read More »

Read the comments In a joint effort to protect water quality and community health in mid-Michigan, the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project (SRAP) and Flow Water Advocates (Flow) have submitted detailed comments urging the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to deny a proposed permit for KB Dairy, …Read More »

On February 3, 2026, Flow, in partnership with Michiganders for a Just Farming System, hosted a virtual watch party for the KB Dairy public hearing. KB Dairy is a proposed CAFO facility in Gratiot County. The permittee has submitted materials to obtain coverage through a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System …Read More »

Flow Water Advocates formally urged the Michigan Public Service Commission to reject the proposed sale of 13 Michigan hydroelectric dams from Consumers Energy to a private equity–backed affiliate of Hull Street Energy. This transfer would place critical public water infrastructure — and the rivers and fisheries connected to it — …Read More »

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we invite you to share a few words about why you love the Great Lakes. Is it the water, the memories, the wildlife, or the feeling of home they give you? Your story helps show what’s truly at stake when we work to protect …Read More »

Download PDF Our invisible water crisis. Michigan faces a long-standing and largely invisible water quality crisis driven by failing septic systems. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) estimates that 330,000 of Michigan’s 1.3 million septic systems are currently failing. Untreated sewage is entering groundwater, rivers, and …Read More »

On December 31, 2025, the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Act (OSLTF) expired.1 The OSLTF was first authorized to tax oil producers in 1990, and provided funds for federal responses to oil spills and compensation for certain damages.2 Without the OSLTF, states and taxpayers may be left on the hook …Read More »

By Dave Dempsey, Flow Senior Advisor My first memory of my nephew Michael comes from playing peekaboo. Using a toy with a see-through panel, I ducked in and out of view to his appreciative baby laughter. Pretty soon he was pulling the same trick on me. He was a quick …Read More »

The role of indigenous cultures in sustainably living in relationship with wetlands is the theme of World Wetlands Day, February 2. In Michigan and the Great Lakes watershed, the theme has special relevance. For countless generations, the indigenous peoples of what is now called the State of Michigan have been …Read More »

January 28, 2026 Lansing, Mich. – Today in the Michigan Senate, Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) introduced legislation to establish the state’s first-ever comprehensive framework for the oversight and maintenance of onsite wastewater treatment systems, also known as septic systems. The legislation (SB 771) will modernize Michigan’s outdated approach to septic …Read More »

Download Flow’s reply brief (PDF) Traverse City, Mich. — On January 23, Flow Water Advocates (“Flow”) filed its reply to the arguments raised by Enbridge Limited Energy LLC, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), and other Appellees in Flow’s Michigan Supreme Court case challenging the MPSC’s issuance of a permit …Read More »

Download PDF At issue: The rapid rise of data centers in our communities Data centers are multiplying across America in response to increases in computing intensity, including the growing use of artificial intelligence. Significant growth in cloud computing, big data analytics, and cryptomining also contributes to demand for data centers. …Read More »

On January 5, 2026, the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition (HOW), a group of organizations (including Flow Water Advocates) that are committed to protecting water resources and communities across the Great Lakes and the Midwest region, submitted comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army …Read More »

Register for the virtual public hearing on February 3, 6pm: Register here Learn more about the proposed permit: Download the fact sheet On February 3, The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will hold a virtual public hearing to give the public an opportunity to provide comments. …Read More »

This month, people across the globe celebrated Human Rights Day. Every year on December 10th, the world celebrates the anniversary of “one of the world’s most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR].” The UDHR was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, over 75 …Read More »

Traverse City, Mich. — On December 17, the District Court for the Western District of Michigan issued its opinion in Enbridge v. Whitmer. The federal case was brought by the Canadian oil company to stop Michigan state officials from enforcing Governor Whitmer’s 2020 Notice of Revocation and Termination of the …Read More »

by Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director For fourteen years, Flow Water Advocates has stood on a simple, powerful truth: The waters of the Great Lakes belong to everyone—and must be protected for all time. Not just for this generation. Not just for human use. But for the entire living water cycle …Read More »

By Liz Kirkwood, Flow Executive Director This piece originally appeared in Bridge Michigan. Michigan’s abundant water has turned into a cash cow for private bottled water companies. They’re making large profits off publicly owned water, while paying next to nothing to the state for water extraction. At the same time, …Read More »

DOWNLOAD: Flow Water Advocates, Sierra Club, and Surfrider Foundation comments on Line 5 Tunnel Project Supplemental Draft EIS on the HDD Installation Alternative Traverse City, Mich. — On December 5, Flow Water Advocates (Flow), a Great Lakes water protection organization, in partnership with the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation (known …Read More »

Wetland protection advocates across America recoiled earlier this month when the Trump Administration proposed opening up millions of acres of wetlands to be filled or drained and developed. Michigan will fare somewhat better because of a 1980 state law that shields many wetlands that the U.S. EPA and the Army …Read More »

Why we oppose House Bill 4385: A threat to Michigan’s shorelines, the Public Trust, and the Great Lakes. House Bill 4385, currently being considered in the Michigan Legislature, would weaken critical protections for the shorelines of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair. Although the bill is framed as a …Read More »

Updated December 19, 2025 Five years ago, on November 13, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Department of Natural Resources revoked and terminated the 1953 easement that had allowed Enbridge to locate and operate its dual Line 5 pipelines on the lakebed and in the waters of the Straits …Read More »

November 17, 2025 [ DOWNLOAD: Flow Water Advocates Brief on Appeal (PDF) ]   Traverse City, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates (“Flow”) has filed a brief in its appeal of the Michigan Public Service Commission’s decision to approve a permit for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 pipeline tunnel under the Straits …Read More »

As Flow Water Advocates’ inaugural Denis and Martha Pierce Environmental Law Fellow, Hope McLellan-Brandt supports Flow’s legal work to defend the Great Lakes. She graduated from Vermont Law School in 2024 with a Juris Doctor and a Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy. While in law school, Hope gained extensive …Read More »

Established in 1978, the Michigan Coastal Management Program (MCMP) provides technical assistance and strategic grant funding to assist in coastal communities’ ability to understand risks, and options to mitigate coastal hazards; create healthy habitats that provide for human use and enjoyment; support coastal eco-tourism opportunities while ensuring for safe public …Read More »

Register for the hearing on February 3, 6pm: Register here Learn more about the proposed permit: Download the fact sheet Flow Water Advocates and commenters oppose Gratiot County CAFO expansion; request public hearing. DOWNLOAD: Comments and Request for Public Hearing on Draft Permit MI0060380, KB Farm LLC-CAFO (PDF)  Traverse City, …Read More »

Traverse City, Mich. — Flow Water Advocates (“Flow”) has filed an administrative appeal of a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) decision to reject Flow’s FOIA requests for logs Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are required by permit to maintain and disclose to EGLE and the public. …Read More »

The Great Lakes are home to more than 240 lighthouses — more than any other region in the world. Built to protect sailors from treacherous reefs, storms, and shifting shoals, these monuments have also become haunting echoes of the past. Michigan’s 4 most haunted lighthouses 1. Seul Choix Point Lighthouse …Read More »

Michigan’s water infrastructure and affordability needs are critical and underfunded. Too many Michiganders struggle to pay their water bills, while rural and urban communities alike struggle with aging systems and contamination. That’s why a coalition of water advocates has developed the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act to protect water quality, …Read More »

On Saturday, November 8, 2025, Downtown Traverse City will host its annual Shop Your Community Day, a cherished event where 15% of every purchase at participating local businesses is donated to your choice of 30 nonprofit organizations. This initiative offers shoppers the unique opportunity to support both local businesses and …Read More »

Flow’s mission is to ensure Michigan’s waters are healthy, public, and protected for everyone. Our priorities include water infrastructure funding, tackling nitrate contamination in drinking water, factory farm pollution, and the need for a statewide septic code. We track state budgets closely because they signal real-world priorities. The newly approved …Read More »

Carolan Sonderegger, Policy Director I attended the 2025 Great Lakes Conference expecting good content, but what stood out most wasn’t any single presentation or data point—it was the high level of collaboration happening across the region. Whether it was researchers, tribal leaders, farmers, nonprofit practitioners, or municipal officials, everyone was …Read More »

Lansing, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed October 22, 2025, as Great Lakes Public Trust Day, affirming the public trust principle, which holds that Michigan’s surface waters and submerged lands are held in trust by the state for the benefit and enjoyment of all Michiganders. Flow Water Advocates worked …Read More »

Download this guide (PDF) Writing a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper is a great way to keep the Line 5 pipeline issue front and center, and educate our communities and elected officials about the threat Line 5 poses, and why we need to shut down Line 5. …Read More »

Flow Water Advocates is delighted to announce that Mike Vickery has been elected by its Board of Directors to serve as chair for the 2025-26 term. Mike first joined the Flow board in March 2016, and previously served as board chair from 2019 to 2021. He is Professor Emeritus of …Read More »

Download Policy Brief (PDF) The problem. In Michigan, polluters have walked away from more than 26,000 contaminated sites — 13,000 of which are “orphaned” without a known responsible party — with groundwater and soil too polluted to use, leaving taxpayers on the hook for the $13 billion that the Michigan …Read More »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 19, 2025 Lansing, Mich. – The Michigan Supreme Court has granted a landmark application for leave to appeal, paving the way for a review of the Michigan Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) decision to approve a permit for Enbridge’s proposed oil pipeline tunnel in the Straits of …Read More »

The Great Lakes are the lifeblood of North America, holding nearly one-fifth of the world’s surface freshwater and supplying drinking water to 40 million people. A new report from the International Joint Commission (IJC), its second Draft 10-Year Report on the Protection of the Waters of the Great Lakes, highlights …Read More »

PRESS RELEASE: SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 Download the written comments to EGLE (PDF) Traverse City, Mich. – On August 29, 2025, Flow Water Advocates, a Great Lakes water protection organization, together with the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation, submitted written comments on Enbridge’s application for a Water Resources Permit for its …Read More »

Rushed potash fracking operation threatens groundwater and wetlands. Michigan Potash & Salt Company is attempting to develop a massive potash and salt fracking facility in rural Osceola and Mecosta Counties, right next to Bullkill Marsh, some of Michigan’s most beautiful and fragile wetlands. If built, the Michigan Potash mine would …Read More »

By Sydney Howard, Flow Summer Legal Intern – This summer, I traded my usual Carolinian life for something completely new – I moved to Traverse City, Michigan, for a three-month internship with Flow Water Advocates. I had never been to the state, didn’t know anyone, and moved into a house …Read More »

Line 5 – the 72-year-old dual pipelines suspended across the bottomlands of the Straits of Mackinac – has been battered by anchor strikes and entangled by cables from passing ships. It is universally accepted that the exposed pipelines represent a clear and present danger to the Great Lakes and the …Read More »

The International Joint Commission (IJC) is seeking public comment on the recently released Draft 2025 Review of the International Joint Commission’s Report on the “Protection of the Waters of the Great Lakes”. The report updates the IJC’s analysis of Great Lakes stresses from consumption, diversion, and removal of water from …Read More »

Flow is thrilled to welcome three incredible new members to our Board of Directors: Environmental journalist Keith Schneider, MSU Assistant Professor Kelly Hirko, and MSU Assistant Professor Anthony Kendall! Each brings a deep commitment to protecting the Great Lakes, along with unique expertise—from community organizing and environmental law to science, …Read More »

What are nitrates and why do they matter? If your household water comes from a private well, you may be at risk of nitrate contamination —and not even know it. Nitrates are a type of nitrogen compound that can seep into groundwater from the use of fertilizers, manure, and failing …Read More »

Anaerobic digesters are facilities that decompose organic waste, separating biogas from a sludge called “digestate.” Biogas can be used on-site, paired with a facility like a livestock confinement, or processed into purified pipeline-grade biomethane for electricity or transportation. While biogas can be part of a sustainable farm operation, it has …Read More »

A science review has prompted state officials to sharply increase the number and scope of fish consumption advisories related to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a chemical that is part of the dangerous PFAS family of “forever chemicals.”  The advisories encourage Michiganders to limit, or in some cases stop, eating some species …Read More »

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is taking public comments on Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 pipeline tunnel through August 29, 2025. The State of Michigan now has the power to deny the tunnel permit, and protect the Great Lakes from years of construction upheaval, wetlands damage, …Read More »

Watch the recording Factory farms, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), threaten our waters with immense quantities of sewage, which too often are sprayed on fields where it can then runoff into streams and leach into groundwater — including into our drinking water.  On August 8, the Michigan Department of …Read More »

Facing facts and moving forward: Notes from the 2025 State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference. On June 26, the State of the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) conference, hosted by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), brought together researchers, agency staff, and community advocates working …Read More »

Over 750 contamination sites in Michigan need immediate action to address human health exposure risks – but because of limited staff and funding, it will be years before all the sites are dealt with and the risks are controlled. That’s the result of a classification system the Department of Environment, …Read More »

Michigan sits at the heart of the Great Lakes—the largest freshwater system on Earth. Despite this abundance, our water resources are not immune to overuse and mismanagement. A 2024 audit released by the Office of the Auditor General highlighted several important areas where the state’s water withdrawal program can be …Read More »

The Michigan Hydro Relicencing Coalition* opposes a plan by Consumers Energy to sell 13 hydropower projects for $1 each, and then enter into a 30-year power purchase agreement with the buyers. Here’s why: Consumers Energy will be able to pass along the cost of the power purchase agreements to its …Read More »

Flow Water Advocates recently teamed up with members of the Presbyterian Church of Traverse City for a community beach clean up of Acme Township Bayside Park. With six small teams, volunteers spread out across the sand, picking up everything from bottle caps to forgotten beach toys buried too deep in …Read More »

July 1, 2025Kacey Cook, Flow Staff Attorney In June 2024, the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision to send Attorney General Dana Nessel’s 2019 suit Nessel v. Enbridge back to state court where it started. The Sixth Circuit held that Enbridge’s removal of AG Nessel’s lawsuit to …Read More »

June 30, 2025 Traverse City, Mich. – Today, Flow Water Advocates, a Great Lakes water protection organization, with sign-on from the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program and Surfrider Foundation, submitted written comments on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Enbridge’s proposed Line 5 tunnel …Read More »

Watch the webinar recording! Facing competition, declining fossil fuel demand, and challenges building new pipelines in Canada, Enbridge is working overtime to convince Michiganders that we’re dependent on Line 5, but that’s not true. On July 22, join Flow Water Advocates and Oil & Water Don’t Mix for a special …Read More »

By Carrie La Seur, Legal Director — The late afternoon sun, hours from sunset as the days stretch out, promises the first true warmth of spring. It’s 5 p.m. on April 25, 2025, and I nestle into the snug seat of my red, white, and blue Jackson river kayak. The …Read More »

June 17, 2025 Traverse City, Mich. – Flow Water Advocates today announced the filing of a Petition for Review (PDF) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental Appeals Board (EAB), challenging the recent approval and modification of six Underground Injection Control (UIC) permits for Michigan Potash Operating, LLC. …Read More »

This event is SOLD OUT. Thank you to all who purchased tickets. Join Flow Water Advocates on August 7, 2025, from 6 to 9pm for “Sound & Shore”, an intimate and unforgettable evening of music, meaning, and movement at Rove Winery in Traverse City. May Erlewine — one of Michigan’s …Read More »

We are sharing some very exciting news today! For Love of Water (FLOW) has a new name: Flow Water Advocates. (But you can still call us “Flow”). For nearly 14 years, our organization has worked relentlessly to protect the waters of the Great Lakes Basin and the people’s public trust rights …Read More »

New bills would help clean up, prevent environmental contamination June 11, 2025 Polluter accountability legislation, including Senate Bills 385, 368, 387, 391, 392, and 393, was introduced this week by State Senators. Several of the bills have already been introduced in the House as HB 4636-4640, and the remaining bills …Read More »

Canadian pipeline company Enbridge wants to bore a massive fossil fuels tunnel through the publicly held bottomlands of the Mackinac Straits. Download this info sheet (PDF) The State of Michigan is the legal trustee of the Straits, and has the power and duty to protect them for the benefit of …Read More »

In April 2023, FLOW’s Dave Dempsey blogged about contamination at a quiet place called Sadony Bayou, north of White Lake along the Lake Michigan coastline, where lime piles and decades of industrial waste have decimated once-thriving habitat. The bayou doesn’t look like much from the road running by, but inside, …Read More »

A study recently published in the science journal Nature documents a worsening problem that is invisible to all but the closest observers. The study found that the 28 most populous U.S. cities – including Detroit and Chicago – are all slowly sinking. Massive groundwater extraction is the most common cause …Read More »

Last week, Grand Traverse County took a major step forward in protecting its waters and residents by unanimously passing a countywide septic regulation. This landmark decision marks the first time the county has adopted rules to systematically evaluate septic systems near water bodies. While the regulation may appear modest in …Read More »

We are all enamored of the 38,000 square miles of Great Lakes water within the boundaries of Michigan, but few think of the 38,000 square miles of land at the bottom of the Great Lakes. This area, which the State of Michigan is legally required to protect under the public …Read More »

FLOW has joined a coalition of over 350 farm, food, and rural organizations calling for the passage of the Honor Farmer Contacts Act, which would order the USDA to unfreeze contracts that were targeted by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk. The contracts were related …Read More »

What do you know about drinking water? Take the quiz at the bottom! It’s Drinking Water Week – a time to remember where your drinking water comes from, what the threats to your drinking water are, and what you can do about them. Despite today’s problems, public drinking water has …Read More »

Rural Michigan may have a smaller population than Michigan’s urban areas, but viewed from another perspective, it is just as – if not more – densely populated. Rural Michigan has a hidden population that doesn’t play by the same rules as our human neighbors – especially when it comes to …Read More »

A septic system is an underground wastewater treatment system for homes that are not connected to a city sewer system. When regularly pumped and maintained, a septic system efficiently manages the wastewater produced in a house. These systems generally work very well, and are “out of sight, out of mind.” …Read More »

Fremont, Michigan is a rural community in west Michigan’s Newaygo County, about an hour north of Grand Rapids. Since 2012 it has been home to a huge anaerobic digester, owned since 2017 by the Delaware-incorporated company Generate Upcycle, part of multi-billion dollar “clean energy” investment firm Generate Capital. Anaerobic digesters …Read More »

Early this winter, FLOW and students from the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) graduate program teamed up for a 16-month initiative to examine Michigan’s groundwater management and propose a statewide strategy to ensure long-term, sustainable groundwater governance. Flow Water Advocates is grateful to announce a $20,000 …Read More »

A critical Great Lakes program is at risk of being eliminated by federal budget cuts. Vitally important to science and society, the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) could shrink or vanish if proposals in Washington, D.C., become reality. And that would be a major blow to our ability to understand …Read More »

By: Carrie La Seur,  FLOW Legal Director Rivers tell tales. They remember what’s been done to them, decades back. They report on what happened this morning. They don’t lie or hold back the truth. It’s all there, in sediments and suspended solids, temperature, pH, chemical load. Sit a minute and …Read More »

A coalition of water advocates have developed model legislation to protect water quality, advance water equity, ensure that the waters of the State remain a public resource, and provide communities and water utilities with a steady source of funding to address water affordability and infrastructure needs. The key provisions of …Read More »

In this episode of Living Sustainably, FLOW Executive Director Liz Kirkwood sits down with Living Sustainably host Lyla Hollis to talk all things water — how we protect it, why it matters, and what clean water means for our communities. Tune in to learn creative ways YOU can get involved in …Read More »

Earth Day is the perfect time to reconnect with nature, build community, and take action—big or small—for the planet. Whether you’re looking to spend the day outdoors, try something new, or get involved in environmental advocacy, here are five meaningful and fun ways to celebrate Earth Day this year. 1. …Read More »

By Liz Kirkwood, FLOW Executive Director Last week, we suffered a great loss with the sudden passing of our dear friend—Indigenous attorney, activist, and Water Protector—Holly T. Bird. The outpouring of love and admiration from across the community and online speaks volumes about the kind of person Holly was and …Read More »

Earlier this year, when it appeared that U.S. agencies would be unable to hire a full field staff to control sea lamprey in the 2025 season, the estimated economic damage was staggering. The feared staff reduction would have led to the survival of 2.5 million invasive lamprey, which would live …Read More »

For Love of Water (FLOW), a leading Great Lakes water protection organization, along with four Michigan Tribes and other environmental advocates, have filed an Application for Leave to Appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court, challenging a decision by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and a subsequent ruling by the …Read More »

Fulfilling a request made by FLOW since 2018, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has elevated groundwater protection on its priority list. In March, EGLE announced it has established a Groundwater and Geological Services section, and declared that groundwater would “be under the radar no more.” …Read More »

April 1st is traditionally a day for harmless pranks, unexpected surprises, and fake engagement announcements. But did you know it’s also Fossil Fools’ Day? No, that’s not a typo—it’s a day dedicated to calling out the real tricksters: the fossil fuel industry. And if you live in the Great Lakes …Read More »

By Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director — This remembrance is for Katie Horvath in appreciation for her brilliant and soaring spirit, her demands for meaningful change, and her life-long passion for protecting the places and water she loved here at home in the Great Lakes. In the early years at FLOW, …Read More »

Saturday, March 22 is World Water Day, a global day established by the United Nations to celebrate water, reflect on the progress we’ve made, and acknowledge the challenges ahead. This year’s theme, glacier preservation, is a powerful reminder of how climate change is reshaping our world and threatening freshwater supplies. …Read More »

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of human-made chemicals found in everything from nonstick cookware to drinking water, and they pose serious health risks. These “forever chemicals” do not break down in the environment or the human body, leading to long-term exposure that has been linked to cancer, …Read More »

John Flesher vividly recalls his first up-close encounter with the Great Lakes. He had flown into Michigan the day before and seen Lake Erie from his plane, but it was nothing like stepping onto a Lake Michigan beach that day in August 1989. “The waves were just pounding the shore,” …Read More »

By: Carrie La Seur, Legal Director — Hey there, water lovers. It’s time for a little more plain talk about the mess that is the Pine River of central Michigan. No sooner had it begun to recover from toxic contamination than tens of thousands of cattle moved in upstream. Every …Read More »

National Groundwater Awareness Week, which began on Sunday, March 9, is as invisible to most of us as is groundwater itself. Yet groundwater plays an important role in the lives of all Michiganders. Here’s a chance to test your groundwater knowledge, or gain some. Take the test below!   The …Read More »

The child who grew up in the natural wonderland of the Traverse City region is now the sage of the environmental community in Michigan. On Wednesday, February 26, FLOW founder Jim Olson, whose legal work transformed both the law and the landscape, turns 80. It’s a milestone that gives Jim …Read More »

Nitrate pollution might not be a familiar term, but it could be affecting your drinking water more than you realize. Nitrates are a naturally occurring form of nitrogen found in soil and water, but human activities, particularly industrial agriculture, have significantly increased nitrate levels in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. This …Read More »

Michigan Court of Appeals Affirms Line 5 Tunnel Permit; FLOW Asserts Michigan’s Public Trust Responsibilities   Traverse City, Mich.— For Love of Water (FLOW) participated in consolidated appeals challenging a Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) order conditionally approving Enbridge Energy’s application to replace the segment of its Line 5 pipeline …Read More »

Stand aside Silicon Valley, the next big tech disruptor might be a giant manure scooper. Why? Because the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system on Earth, are becoming a sea of livestock excrement, thanks the number of large-scale Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) found in Michigan. We’re talking about 81 …Read More »

Chelsea Thompson, Legal Assistant Chelsea Thompson, our new legal assistant joined the team in December 2024 with a strong senvironmental sciences background from Alma College. FLOW is a dream job for Chelsea, who has aspirations to go to law school in coming years, to combine her love for the environment …Read More »

By Tony Spaniola Tony Spaniola co-founded and co-chairs the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. He also co-founded the Need Our Water (NOW) community action group in Oscoda, Michigan, and serves on the Leadership Team of the National PFAS Contamination Coalition. PFAS contamination in Michigan was first discovered in March of …Read More »

On February 5, Governor Gretchen Whitmer unveiled her proposed executive budget for fiscal year 2026, totaling $83.5 billion, to the House and Senate Appropriations committees. Protecting air, land, and water infrastructure were among her top priorities. The Director of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE),  Phil Roos …Read More »

This winter, areas downwind of the Great Lakes have received enormous amounts of lake effect snow. Can climate change be occurring when storms are piling up record snow? Yes – in fact, this phenomenon is entirely consistent with climate change models. Lake-effect snow develops when cold air moves over a …Read More »

We’re thrilled to announce that FLOW has moved to a new location on Lake Avenue in downtown Traverse City! This move is more than just a change of address—it’s a reflection of our deep connection to the waters we work so hard to protect. Being situated on Lake Avenue feels …Read More »

On a snowy day, drivers feel relief when road salt helps clear the way of slippery spots.  But, though necessary under certain circumstances, road salt is a major polluter of Michigan’s rivers, inland lakes and the Great Lakes. Winter Salt Week is an opportunity to learn about the environmental impacts …Read More »

On the 40th anniversary of Michigan state government’s Office of the Great Lakes, its new State of the Great Lakes report provides an important narrative about the many outstanding efforts to protect and restore these world-class waters.  But, as has been true with the previous 39 reports, it makes little …Read More »

An on-line tool provided by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) enables Michiganders to identify and map sites of environmental contamination in their neighborhoods or across the state. Called the Ride Mapper (an acronym for Remediation Information Data Exchange), the interactive tool displays as of January …Read More »

January 14, 2025 Lansing, Mich. – Today, attorneys representing several tribal nations and environmental groups asked the Michigan Court of Appeals to reverse the Michigan Public Service Commission’s flawed December 2023 order approving a permit for Enbridge to build a tunnel for its Line 5 oil pipeline beneath the lakebed …Read More »

Like many of you, we here at FLOW are coming back together after the holidays to roll up our sleeves and think about our path forward in this new year. We had plenty of ups and downs over this past legislative session, and it is now time to re-group and …Read More »

WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING   Enbridge’s plan to bore a tunnel between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron to replace an underwater segment of Line 5 is costly and ill-advised, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). The report shows that the aging …Read More »

In a major victory for citizens opposed to the packaging and sale of water as a commodity, advocates in southwest Ontario successfully campaigned for the shutdown of a water bottling plant in the township of Puslinch owned by BlueTriton, which bought the facility from Nestle in 2021. BlueTriton announced in …Read More »

By Carrie La Seur, Legal Director — The Pine River. It’s a name that ought to conjure up images of cool water riffles, children splashing on a hot day, the voices of kayakers carrying over the water, maybe a trout rising to a fly. But going on two decades now, …Read More »

Nancy Langston is an interdisciplinary ecological historian and visual artist whose work fuses storytelling, visual art, and environmental history to grapple with the unsettling contradictions of climate change in the boreal north. She is Distinguished Professor Emerita at Michigan Technological University, and she is working on her 6th book, Reindeer …Read More »

The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week a national ban on trichloroethylene (TCE), a groundwater and soil contaminant confirmed at over 300 sites in Michigan. The move will save Michigan taxpayers millions of dollars in future cleanup costs and protect public health. “EPA’s action is critical to public health and …Read More »

The law that protects the quality of America’s more than 170,000 public drinking water supplies is 50 years old as of Monday, December 16. While the Safe Drinking Water Act’s results have been mixed, its purpose and impact have become ever more relevant over the past five decades. The potential …Read More »

This month, Michigan House Rep. Rachel Hood (D-81) and Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-14) introduced important bills (HB 6273, 6274), based on FLOW’s model legislation, that would impose a $0.25 per gallon royalty on bottled drinking water extracted from Michigan’s publicly-held water resources (including groundwater), and create a Water Trust Fund. …Read More »

Michigan public beach advisories were up during the 2024 season compared to 2023, with the difference likely due to the timing and intensity of storms that washed polluted runoff into rivers and lakes. A total of 127 advisories and closures were reported for 106 beaches in thirty-eight counties, by twenty-eight …Read More »

FLOW, Great Lakes Business Network, and Sierra Club File Joint Amici Brief in Nessel v. Enbridge Lawsuit, Dismantling Enbridge’s Allegations and Defending State Sovereignty   Contact: Carrie La Seur, FLOW Legal Director carrie@flowforwater.org (231) 944-1568 Traverse City, Mich. – On December 2, 2024, For Love of Water (FLOW), Great Lakes …Read More »

Traverse City, Mich.— The nonprofit law and policy center For Love of Water (FLOW) and its allies Detroit Riverkeeper, Friends of the Detroit River, the Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, have successfully petitioned for a Public Health Assessment for the community of Wyandotte, Michigan …Read More »

By Carrie La Seur FLOW Legal Director — When I ask them how they feel about the Pine, their local waters – , people who’ve lived in Gratiot County, Michigan all their lives – remember childhood summers spent swimming in the mill pond behind the dam at Alma. That’s not …Read More »

The current chair of Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC), Tom Baird is a retired attorney who was born and raised in Grand Rapids, practiced law in Lansing, and currently lives in Elk Rapids. Throughout life his passions have been conservation and the environment. This led to various roles as board …Read More »

What is the “lame duck” session in Lansing? Lame duck is a legislative session that begins after a November election but before new members take the oath of office in January. ‘Lame duck’ refers to the fact that many legislators voting in November and December are retiring or were defeated …Read More »

FLOW is pleased to announce that Sarah Naperala has been elected to chair of its Board of Directors. Sarah has served on the board for nine years, and held the office of board secretary during her previous term. Sarah is an organizational consultant with over 20 years of experience in …Read More »

By Liz Kirkwood FLOW Executive Director —  Michigan, the Great Lakes state, sits in the heart of 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water, and 95 percent of the U.S.’s fresh water supply. All Michiganders will tell you of their deep connection to these lakes. And now, Big Tech and …Read More »

Out of sight, out of mind: measures designed to shield public from contamination push costs on future generations Here in Michigan, 45% of the population gets its drinking water from groundwater, including two million who rely on private wells. Groundwater also feeds streams and rivers, and sustains wetlands. It is …Read More »

Every four years – including this month – voters in the overwhelming majority of Michigan counties elect a drain commissioner on the partisan ballot. But many of those voters likely do not understand the office. Although the office of drain commissioner was explicitly created by the Legislature in the 1890s …Read More »

This week we acknowledged the 49th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s sinking – the doomed freighter that met the November gales early and sank in Lake Superior in 1975. Gordon Lightfoot’s hit song  “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” (which many of you are mentally humming as we speak) is …Read More »

I’ll be honest: Wednesday was a hard day. While there are a few silver linings, our uphill climb to protect and preserve the waters of the Great Lakes Basin just got a little bit steeper. Journalists, political scientists, and social media keyboard warriors will conjure many pixels over the days and …Read More »

On Wednesday, November 20 at 6:00pm, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will hold an in-person public hearing on the proposed Groundwater Discharge Permit for the Fremont Digester, at the request of FLOW and the coalition of residents and organizations working to strengthen environmental protections. What …Read More »

By Carrie La Seur FLOW Legal Director I first encountered the Pine River of central Michigan in May 2024, a season when I was reading Wendell Berry’s The Way of Ignorance as meditation. The robins were nesting a second time on the drain pipe of our house outside Traverse City …Read More »

Prompted by the drinking water crisis in Flint 10 years ago, the U.S. EPA announced on October 8 a 10-year deadline for replacement of all lead service lines in the U.S. This important project will be largely funded by more than $15 billion from the 2021 federal bipartisan infrastructure law. …Read More »

Traverse City, Mich.—On October 22, FLOW (For Love of Water) and Great Lakes Business Network (GLBN) filed a brief calling on the U.S. Court of Appeals to stop a pipeline company from stripping away Michigan’s power to protect the Great Lakes. Enbridge Energy, which owns the dual Line 5 pipelines, …Read More »

I recently spoke before a lively and well-informed audience at the St. Clair Public Library in Port Huron. As is always the case, when I opened the floor for questions and comments, a dozen arms shot up. Everyone had thoughtful and important things to say, but most of the questions …Read More »

In these times of partisan division, it’s important to recognize that one issue has united Michigan voters for over 50 years: Four times since 1968, they have approved by large margins the issuance of general obligation bonds to pay for critical environmental needs. But the last such proposal reached the …Read More »

Change is coming to the lakebed and waters of the Great Lakes. Two more units of the National Marine Sanctuary system are on deck for federal approval. The question is whether Michigan will take additional steps to protect its own Great Lakes lakebed and waters. Administered by the National Oceanic …Read More »

If there was ever any doubt that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, a recent estimate of the cost to Michigan taxpayers of cleaning up environmental contamination should have dispelled it. According to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), there are some …Read More »

One of the military clashes between England and the United States was the battle of Lake Erie. On September 10, 1813, nine ships under U.S. Master Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry bested a nine-ship English fleet in a decisive battle for control of western Lake Erie and surrounding lands. Today, a …Read More »

Lost in the barrage of bad news about harmful pollutants, invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change is quiet progress on some long-term challenges. The statistics bear this out and suggest the potential for successfully addressing today’s environmental problems. Our rivers and lakes are noticeably cleaner than they were when …Read More »

ATSDR Petition for a Public Health Assessment (PHA) due to significant historic, current, and ongoing air, water, and drinking water contaminant exceedances from BASF, Inc., Wyandotte, Michigan ( EPA FACILITY ID: 110000494019, RCRA MID 064197742) — February 29, 2024 On behalf of the undersigned organizations, representing many thousands of Michiganders, …Read More »

A popular vehicle decal says the Great Lakes are “unsalted and shark-free.” Is it true? Not if you consider road salt and salt from water softeners. In 2021, scientific researchers estimated chlorides in Lake Michigan had risen from about 1-2 milligrams per liter before European settlement to more than fifteen …Read More »

By Carolan Sonderegger, FLOW Policy Director With my sema, or tobacco, in hand, I prepared to perform the sacred and culturally significant act of seeding manoomin. Sema serves as a conduit for acknowledgement and a way to communicate with Gizhemanidoo, the creator. I gave my gratitude to Gizhemanidoo by offering …Read More »

Out of Michigan’s 24,000 Contaminated Sites, These Are Among the Most Notorious Once upon a time, Michigan scientifically ranked our thousands of contamination sites by the hazard they represented to public health and the environment. Released annually, the list generated extensive publicity and legislative attention, resulting in significant appropriations for …Read More »

To find a cranky, resolute, dry-witted champion for Michigan’s water, you need look no farther than Michael Delp. In his prose and poetry – especially as his alter ego, the Mad Angler, he has written lyrically of trout and forcefully condemned polluters. Mike is just out with a collection, The …Read More »

A proposal to turn artesian groundwater that feeds Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin into a product for sale continues to run head-on into the law, the community, a tribe, and a citizens group, Lake Superior Not for Sale (LSNFS). The most recent defeat for Kristle KLR came in June, when …Read More »

Download the report: Institutional Controls for Groundwater Management: Long-Term Costs and Policy Impacts The true economic, ecological, and social costs of relying on land use restrictions to address groundwater and soil contamination instead of active clean up are likely significantly higher than generally estimated. That is a conclusion of a …Read More »

Lake Ontario is the only one of the Great Lakes that Michigan does not border. Receiving the waste of the other four Great Lakes and the impact of industrial development in its own watershed, Lake Ontario faces special challenges. In his new book, The Lives of Lake Ontario, Daniel Macfarlane …Read More »

A disastrous growing season for northwestern Lower Michigan’s cherry crop is resulting in calls for federal aid and a growing sense that climate change is warping the health of this iconic fruit. The sweet cherry crop has been deemed a failure, and similar conditions have affected tart cherries. It’s estimated …Read More »

Support the Great Lakes! By: Lynn FrazeFLOW supporter Growing up I never thought of water as a controversial issue.  My grandparents (born in the 1890s) built a log cabin on Pickerel Lake in Northern Michigan a few years before I was born. My fondest memories were summers spent Up North …Read More »

Now that major party candidates for Vice President are designated, it’s an appropriate time to check their records on two environmental concerns vital to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. Climate Change Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, as Governor of Minnesota, has called for strong federal action to abate …Read More »

“I am used to farm smells. I am a farmer myself. Manure spread, and even the turkey CAFO a mile away, were unpleasant but familiar smells that our community has lived with. The digestate was nothing like these. I could only liken it to having my head in a full …Read More »

In her job caring for hogs in a Missouri livestock confinement holding thousands of animals, Angela Smith spent her days walking grates above huge cesspits full of pig urine and feces. Her eyes watered. Her throat burned. There were no regulations to protect her, no agency to complain to. Within …Read More »

Traverse City, Mich.— On Friday, August 2, 2024 FLOW submitted comprehensive legal and technical comments (PDF) to the Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment (“EGLE”), calling on EGLE to deny a groundwater discharge permit for the Fremont Regional Digester owned by Generate Upcycle, a Delaware corporation. The Coalition …Read More »

Water pollution made international headlines this week when the swimming leg of the Paris Olympic men’s triathlon was postponed a day because of high E. Coli counts in the River Seine. Later in the week, Belgium withdrew its team from the mixed relay triathlon, and Switzerland had to change its …Read More »

With the Michigan Legislature’s summer break almost over, and less than 100 days until the election, the focus of legislators on both sides of the aisle will shift to their hometown districts. The outcome of the November polls – where Democrats will strive to maintain their majority in the House …Read More »

In the summer of 2014, residents of Toledo, Ohio awoke to the news that they should avoid drinking the water that came out of their tap. On August 2, 2014, government officials warned against drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth with the algae-trainted water supplies. In total, the “do not drink” …Read More »

July 31, 2024: Michigan Supreme Court affirms EGLE’s authority to issue General Permit with stronger conditions for factory farms Traverse City, Mich.— FLOW applauds the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision yesterday, rejecting the Court of Appeals’ dangerously flawed ruling in Michigan Farm Bureau v. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and …Read More »

More and more, communities outside of the Great Lakes watershed basin are looking for ways to tap into Great Lakes water, despite the Great Lakes Compact agreement ban on most out-of-basin water diversions. The latest example is the City of South Barrington, Illinois, which announced recently it is paying $154,000 …Read More »

In an effort to promote government efficiency and cut red tape, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order on July 16, 2024, sunsetting two burdensome environmental commissions – the Environmental Permit Review Commission (EPRC) and the Environmental Rules Review Committee (ERRC) – established under the Republican Synder Administration. Legislative efforts …Read More »

July 25, 2024 marks the 14th anniversary of one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history, which happened just three months after the BP Horizon Gulf Spill. On July 25, 2010, a pipeline operated by Enbridge – the same corporation operating the risky Line 5 in the Straits …Read More »

  Policy Brief: Impacts of Anaerobic Digesters (PDF)   Anaerobic digesters are facilities that decompose organic waste, separating biogas from solids and liquids, called “digestate.” Biogas can be used on-site or processed into purified pipeline-grade biomethane for electricity or transportation. On confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), a biodigester may be …Read More »

What do former FLOW board member Bob Otwell and Ernest Hemingway have in common? They’ve both written about the Two Hearted River. In a story published exactly one century ago, The Big Two-Hearted River, Hemingway brought to a wide audience for the first time an unmatched writing style, in this …Read More »

The environmental community has achieved a major victory – although temporary – in convincing legislative leaders to press the “pause” button on a set of bills that would pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes. Slated for a final vote in the House of Representatives on the last day …Read More »

The states of Michigan and Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have signed an agreement to begin construction of a defense against Asian carp and other invasive species at the Brandon Road chokepoint in the Illinois River system. The long-delayed agreement, funded by the federal government and the …Read More »

Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline is over 71 years old and remains a threat to the waters and people of the Great Lakes region. On August 20, join FLOW and Oil & Water Don’t Mix for a special live webinar, and learn from a panel of experts and advocates about recent …Read More »

Summer is here, and for those of us in the Great Lakes region—especially in Michigan, where we’re never more than six miles from a body of water—it’s high-five season for water-lovers. If you love Great Lakes water, raise your hand. Right now, a generous donor is matching all gifts to FLOW up …Read More »

Watch the webinar   With a formal launch 7 p.m. June 26th at The Alluvion in Commongrounds, 414 E. Eighth in Traverse City, People of the Dune is about to stir the debate and express Jim’s own deep commitment to protecting the natural world and honoring indigenous knowledge. The book can be …Read More »

Traditionally, we have counted five Great Lakes. For decades, school children have been reminded of them via an acronym, HOMES, standing for Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. Some, however, argue that there are at least six Great Lakes. One would be Lake St. Clair, at the center of the …Read More »

Charlie Millard Band @ Betsie Bay Furniture 311 Main Street in Frankfort, MI Thursday, July 11 at 6:30pm Tickets $30 (order online, or buy at the door) Kids 12 and under: free/by donation Join us in downtown Frankfort on July 11 for an evening of terrific live music, tasty bites, …Read More »

Watch the webinar FLOW’s founder, legendary environmental attorney Jim Olson, writes more than winning legal briefs. He writes books, too, including the first book on Michigan environmental law and several novels. One of those, The Mound People, published in the 1980s, has now given birth to a fresh novel, People …Read More »

FLOW (For Love of Water) applauds the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision yesterday sending Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s legal action against Enbridge’s Line 5 back to state court where it started. In 2019, AG Nessel sought a court order to shut down Enbridge’s failing Line 5 crude …Read More »

Summer’s here.  That means more time outdoors on the water, at the beach and under the sun. With each type of enjoyment comes the need for accurate information to protect against polluted water and air, excessive UV rays and fish contaminants. Great Lakes recreational risks include: Rip currents. In 2023, …Read More »

Friends of FLOW, As a descendant of early Montana homesteaders, I’ve been blessed to spend much of my life close to pristine trout streams and millions of acres of wilderness. I’ve pulled lambs, witnessed calves being born on open range, and found myself way too close to grizzlies and bison. …Read More »

FLOW welcomes anyone who has a passion for environmental policy. Each summer, FLOW seeks out bright, talented interns to assist us with communications, policy, and legal research tasks, supported by The Helen and William G. Milliken Fund For Love of Water. The Milliken Fund is designed to support work that protects the Great …Read More »

You probably don’t know it, but this first week in June, Michigan is observing Great Lakes and Freshwater Week. It’s certainly appropriate. Michigan has an astounding array of waters. As Governor Whitmer said in her proclamation, “during this week, we encourage Michiganders to learn more about the unique wonders of …Read More »

Troubled Water film screening Friday, July 19 at the Frankfort Garden Theater Tickets $5 Join For Love of Water, the Groundwork Center, and Oil & Water Don’t Mix at the Garden Theater in Frankfort for the highly anticipated Great Lakes adventure-conservation documentary Troubled Water on Friday, July 19, at 7:30 …Read More »

The Great Lakes are one of the world’s natural wonders, and Jerry Dennis is one of the literary wonders of the Great Lakes region. His books explore and celebrate many features of the Lakes, and none more so than his classic The Living Great Lakes, published in 2004. The combination …Read More »

Great Lakes beaches and parks need your help this summer It might be more than the right thing to do for the environment. It might be the right thing to do for your health. Consider the number one pollutant that people leave on the shore – plastic. Some 86% of …Read More »

by FLOW policy director Carolan Sonderegger, Giziibii Ogitcheda-ikwe’ Aaniin (Anishinaabemowin for: Hello everyone), eco-warriors, and recycling enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into the wild world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – the unsung superhero of waste management and a powerful tool for environmental protection, including protecting our precious waters (niibii)! In …Read More »

Published May 24, 2024; updated November 7, 2025 Do you enjoy celebrating the holidays with your friends and family? How about checking items off your bucket list, or watching the Super Bowl? Are cookies, chips, and pizza some of your guilty pleasures? Believe it or not, you can thank your …Read More »

To fully understand the fossil fuel industry’s playbook, let’s start with some basic definitions. You might call them the 3 Ds: Denial, Disinformation, and Doublespeak. Denial is the refusal to believe or accept something as the truth. Disinformation is false information that is intended to mislead, especially propaganda issued by …Read More »

“Safety. It’s a core value that makes us Enbridge. It’s our way of life.” Enbridge, Our Commitment   Universally considered among the most vulnerable, at-risk pipelines in the world, the 4-mile segment of Line 5 crossing the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet, is quite literally, …Read More »

By: Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director January 17, 2023 // Bridge Michigan Michigan is a water wonderland — think Great Lakes, 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, groundwater that supplies 45 percent of our state with drinking water, and more than 6 million acres of wetlands. But these waters face a …Read More »

Watch the Webinar here! Wilderness, Water, and Rust: A Journey toward Great Lakes Resilience asks us to consider what we value about life in the Great Lakes region and how caring for its remarkable ecosystems might help us imagine new, whole futures. Weaving together memories from her life in the …Read More »

With worsening water scarcity in the US and around the world, pressures to share Great Lakes water will grow. The Great Lakes Compact allows water to be diverted outside of the watershed basin for “short-term humanitarian emergencies.”  But what does this mean, and who defines it? What are the ethics of sharing …Read More »

During the week of April 15, a group of students from the Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School (LREI) in Greenwich Village, Manhattan visited Traverse City and spent time with FLOW executive director, Liz Kirkwood. The students were studying water pollution and plastics, and their research led …Read More »

On May 1-2, 2024, FLOW policy director Carolan Sonderegger and legal director Carrie La Seur attended the Great Lakes Manure Conference in Toledo, Ohio. The conference was an opportunity to tour the Maumee River, and learn from experts about legal, environmental, and public health issues posed by Concentrated Animal Feeding …Read More »

We are so used to turning on the tap and receiving safe drinking water that we often forget how vulnerable that water can be to contamination. During Drinking Water Week, recognized May 5-11 by the State of Michigan and nationally, filling knowledge gaps is a critical priority. Knowing the source …Read More »

Longtime Great Lakes advocate Jane Elder’s new book, Wilderness, Water and Rust, (available from Michigan State University Press) is a compelling story of both progress and backsliding in policies and practices affecting the Lakes. It is also a memoir of growing up in Michigan and more than 40 years of …Read More »

On Earth Day, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced a $290 million expansion of the MI Clean Water Plan with proceeds from the bipartisan, voter-approved 2002 Great Lakes Water Quality Protection Bond. The funds will expand state low-interest loans to local governments …Read More »

In the state of Virginia, public water shutoffs for nonpayment of water bills are now prohibited during below-freezing or scorching temperatures and during public health crises, such as the COVID pandemic. Imagine if, here in Michigan, we take the four steps to finally pass a new law that addresses the …Read More »

Earth Day has always been about action as much as education. But in a complex world with complex environmental problems, where do we begin? Here are eight specific actions you can take protect the world’s greatest lakes: Pare down plastics Plastic pollution is growing exponentially, with some of the highest …Read More »

It is with deep sorrow that we bid farewell to John Monroe Frey, an extraordinary man whose life was a testament to the power of passion, curiosity, and unwavering dedication to the Great Lakes and his community. John passed away peacefully on March 28, 2024, at his home in Charlevoix, …Read More »

Download the Polluter Pay Report (PDF) FLOW (For Love of Water) hailed the introduction of “polluter pay” bills in the Michigan Legislature as a long overdue step toward protecting Michigan’s groundwater resources and public health from the 24,000+ contaminated sites in the state. The new legislation shifts the cost burden …Read More »

Download the policy brief: Polluter Accountability (PDF) The repeal of the Polluter Pay law has cost Michigan taxpayers over $1.5 billion over the past 25 years1. Polluters have walked away from more than 3,000 contaminated sites with groundwater and soil too polluted to use, leaving taxpayers on the hook for …Read More »

On April 16, 2024, FLOW released its report, A Watershed Moment: The Great Lakes Compact After 15 Years. The report offers a history of the agreement, analysis of its achievements and gaps, and recommendations to strengthen its protections. Download the Report (PDF) On December 8, 2008, after 10 years of …Read More »

Download FLOW Appellate Brief  (PDF) Traverse City, Mich.— On April 11, 2024, FLOW filed a brief before the Michigan Court of Appeals aimed at reversing the Michigan Public Services Commission’s (MPSC) approval of the proposed Line 5 tunnel project. Enbridge’s proposed tunnel received a green light from the MPSC on …Read More »

On April 10, the Biden-Harris Administration and EPA issued the first-ever nationally enforceable drinking water standards to protect communities from cancer-causing toxic PFAS pollutants, also known as “forever chemicals.” FLOW applauds this important federal coordinated action designed to tackle PFA contamination, prioritize public health, and advance environmental justice in communities …Read More »

Citizen action and public engagement safeguards Michigan waters Most everyone familiar with the beauty and majesty of Long Lake regard it as an exceptional example of the stunning natural features that are so abundant in Northwest Lower Michigan. The largest lake in Grand Traverse County and the headwaters of the …Read More »

Does water serve public needs and interests, or should it be a commodity available for private investment, ownership, and management? Those who believe water should remain public are deeply troubled by this question. The investment community is increasingly interested in developing markets in water. In the year 2020, the transition …Read More »

FLOW is pleased to announce the hiring of Stephanie Kimball as our new Operations Manager. Stephanie brings a wealth of nonprofit administration experience, having served at Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear and The Father Fred Foundation. She also had the experience of living near the 2010 Enbridge oil spill in Marshall, …Read More »

FLOW is pleased to announce that Marshall Protetch has joined the team as our new Public Engagement Manager. The Public Engagement Manager is an important part of FLOW’s communications team, working to expand and engage FLOW’s audience, and inspire people to take action on the issues that are critical to …Read More »

By Carrie La Seur, FLOW Legal Director It’s getting warm this spring down in Allegan County. In late February 2024, attorneys in the Michigan Attorney General’s office brought an enforcement lawsuit against J&D Brenner Farms, an Allegan County dairy operation and successful scofflaw until this year. EGLE has been trying …Read More »

For the fourth year in a row, FLOW has helped author and worked towards a House of Representatives resolution declaring March 22 as Michigan Water Day, and resolving that water is a human right. The resolution was introduced by Rep. Rachel Hood (D-81) and co-sponsored by Betsy Coffia (D-103) and …Read More »

The 8 billion people of this planet are almost unfathomably diverse, but have one thing in common. We need water to survive, and we consist of water – 55 to 60% of the adult body is water. Recognizing the universal human need for water, the United Nations has declared the …Read More »

Download as PDF Listen to audio recording of the oral arguments Traverse City, Mich.— Today, March 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit heard oral arguments in Michigan Attorney General Nessel v. Enbridge, the 2019 lawsuit seeking to shut down Line 5 in the open waters of …Read More »