East Michigan Environmental Action Council:
Accomplishments and Projects 2001-2006
- Connecting and educating people within our community and helping them find their voice.
- Serving as a source for accurate information without a national agenda.
- Providing balanced information and leadership among community groups to protect and restore the environment.
- Connecting people to state, national and global issues and providing resources for action.
- Restoring a Quality Environment to Southeast Michigan.
- Fostering Community and Place Based Education that creates a much more intimate connection between intellectual development and practical activities, root students and faculty in their communities and natural spaces, and engage them in the kind of real problem-solving in their localities that nurtures a love of place.
- Fostering Multicultural Environmental Education and Environmental Justice to remedy the disparity of communities of color that are most severely impacted by environmental degradation.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2006
Standing up for Michigan's Water
In December of 2005, the Michigan Senate passed a package of bills to regulate water use. While this is a step forward for Michigan, more is needed to ensure the Great Lakes receive the protection needed to keep these waters safe from export. During 2006, EMEAC and other organizations involved with the Great Lakes Great Michigan campaign urged representatives to strengthen the bills.
Smart Growth
To address concerns of sprawl and disinvestment in the downtown area, EMEAC, along with the Four Towns Citizen Action Committee, hosted the Healthy Roads forum that took place on April 1st at the Highlands Lake campus of Oakland Community College. The forum presented an impressive line up of smart growth experts, township planning directors, and environmental and economic development organizations to a local audience.
Celebrating Water for Life: A global call to action
In this spirit of the World Health Organization's declaration for a Decade of Celebrating Water for Life , water rights were the theme of the Celebrating Water for Life series of events sponsored by Southeast Michigan environmental and social justice groups. EMEAC opened the series during our annual event. This series is important to local residents because there are many communities across Michigan confronting water pollution, shortage, diversion and rate issues.
Youth Environmental Stewardship and Education
This summer, during EMEAC's strategic planning session, the board decided to outreach to youth: creating opportunities for students to learn about the environment and environmental careers. This year, EMEAC has presented and tabled at environmental and educational conferences, hosted environmental education events for members, presented to local classrooms, and created a new website that will host resources for teachers and students interested in environmental education.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2005
Wetlands in Southeast Michigan are being drained and filled by sprawling real estate development. Without wetland, wildlife cannot thrive and rain water flows quickly over paved surfaces, carrying pollutants into rivers and lakes. EMEAC drafts ordinances that local communities can use to protect their wetlands and works for improvements to the state wetland protection program.
Curbing Urban Sprawl
EMEAC and 4 Towns Citizens Action Team worked closely to address issues surrounding the widening and realignment of the Haggerty/Union Lake/Williams Lake corridor and the building of a new five-lane road from the northern end of M-5 through the two golf courses. 4TCAT and EMEAC urged for non-motorized transportation improvements and protection of wetlands and water quality.
Cutting Mercury Emissions
EMEAC organized a petition drive to demonstrate public demand for national mercury reduction. We also worked with state organizations to urge Governor Granholm to require a 90% reduction of mercury emissions from Michigan's power plants.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2004
Children can inhale tiny particles of exhaust while riding on diesel-powered school buses. These particles can contribute to asthma and other respiratory disease. In response to these health concerns, EMEAC and other environmental and health organizations in Southeast Michigan are working with school districts to reduce the amount of time school buses idle near schools, and to upgrade to low or zero emission vehicles.
EMEAC to Legislators: Stand Up for Michigan's Water
EMEAC and other organizations stepped their outreach to voters and established the "Oakland Eco-Citizen Team." Their campaign was called "Stand Up for Michigan's Water" which was seeking funds to protect drinking water quality, to stop pollution from fouling swimming beaches, and to reduce mercury emissions. The team collected over 700 Michigan residents' signatures to letters to legislators and wrote over 30 letters to newspapers editors demanding that politicians protect water quality.
Environmental Groups Win Legislative Battle: Polluters Must Pay Fees
On Earth Day 2004, Governor Granholm signed legislation authorizing a fee and enabling Michigan to catch up with other Great Lakes states in imposing a polluter's fee.
Statewide Wetlands Conference Supports Wetlands Protection
At the conference, EMEAC presented the history and accomplishments of Oakland Township's wetland protection program and they have continued to assist local governments in developing wetland protection.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2003
In 2003 ECCO started to coordinate two statewide campaigns for Smart Growth and Clean Air for Kids. The Clean Air for Kids Campaign is aimed to reduce the time school buses idle because of harmful emissions. The Smart Growth Campaign is aimed at convincing the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council to create an Office of Smart Growth and better planning laws.
EMEAC Support Efforts of 4 Towns Residents
EMEAC and 4 Towns Citizens Action Team worked closely to address issues surrounding the widening and realignment of the Haggerty/Union Lake/Williams Lake corridor. 4TCAT and EMEAC urged for non-motorized transportation improvements and protection of wetlands and water quality.
Clean Air Project Reduces School Bus Idling
EMEAC worked and continues to work with school officials in Oakland County to establish idling guidelines and to identify possible funding sources to help pay for the cost of retrofitting buses.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2002
Troy's City Council asked EMEAC and Troy Wildlife and Wetlands Coalition to submit an ordinance dealing with issues surrounding wetlands. The ordinance would enable the City to require developers, or any person proposing to build in wetlands, to first consider other project designs that would leave wetlands intact. Developers were able to defeat the ordinance but EMEAC continues to fight for the enactment of the ordinance.
Improving Water Quality
Clean Water Action formed a steering committee to draft a policy agenda. The policy addressed issues such as water use, diversion, toxics, pollution and animal feed lots, wetlands preservation and storm water management.
Statewide Network Continues
EMEAC enters its second year of the Environmental Communications and Community Organizing (ECCO) Initiative. Over the past year EMEAC organized two public forums focused on bike trails in Oakland County and the need for regional mass transit system in Southeastern Michigan.
Supporting Regional Transit
EMEAC staff testified at the Capitol before the House Commerce Committee expressing support for legislation to establish the Detroit Area Regional Transportation Authority (DARTA). DARTA had not reached the House Floor for final vote in 2002 but was backed by various supporters.
Reducing Ground Level Ozone
SEMCOG developed an early warning system for days when ground ozone is at dangerously high levels. EMEAC then initiated an Ozone Action project during the summer of 2002. The project helped to provide residents with information and precautionary steps for ozone action days. Due to the success of the project, a similar project was schedule for the summer 2003.
Accomplishments and Projects for 2001
EMEAC, with funding from the Community Foundation for Southeastern
Michigan, surveyed Troy residents to learn their concerns about
the impacts of land development and urban sprawl. Based on the results
of the survey, the Troy Wildlife and Wetland coalition drafted ordinances
to protect wetlands and other natural features.
EMEAC along with other environmental groups in Michigan
obtained a project grant from the Beldon Fund. The purpose of the project
is to strengthen local groups working on environmental issues and to
coordinate their work in a statewide network. The fund also enabled
to hire a community organizer to develop bike trails and mass transit
for Southeastern Michigan.
EMEAC joined with TRU in opposing the road expansion
plan for I-94. Also Jim Bush represented EMEAC on the advisory council
for evaluating the feasibility of creating a new road corridor in the
areas bound by US-23, M-59, M-5 and I-96.
Representing Southeast Michigan in National Coalitions
Letters were sent on behalf of EMEAC to Congress urging support for
the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. The
act would provide dedicated annual funding for wildlife and marine reserves.
EMEAC also joined the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coalition in its
campaign to persuade the Clinton and Bush Administrations to include
the coastal plain in wildness designation.
Exploring New Energy Technology
The Energy Technology Forum explored options to reduce reliance on internal
combustion engines and the U.S reliance on foreign oil. Daimler/Chrysler
and the Mobility Lab in Ann Arbor presented ideas for a battery-propelled
car. EMEAC member Steve Holztclaw also showed his Honda Insight, a gasoline-fuel
cell hybrid.