LANSING — Gov. Whitmer took action this morning to address Michigan’s ongoing water crises, signing two executive orders and one executive directive. The executive orders would create a new Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, as well as form a PFAS Action Response Team, while her executive directive will enter Michigan into the U.S. Climate Alliance to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, which the U.S. withdrew from in 2017. In response, state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) issued the following statement:
“After years of failed leadership neglecting environmental and water crises across the state, it is encouraging to see real, decisive action with Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders today. Across the nation, communities like Dearborn are facing the same threats to environmental quality, from the air we breathe to the water we drink. Demanding that our state departments put our communities before corporate interests is something that is long overdue, and today’s actions are an essential first step in challenging that status quo. I look forward to working alongside the newly restructured Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy in tackling environmental injustices and ensuring clean water and air for every Michigan resident.”
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