Archive for Government/Politics

Southeast governors to discuss ACF river basin allocation

December 17, 2007 at 9:15 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Water

Source:
Daniel Cusick
Greenwire
December 17, 2007

The governors of Florida, Georgia and Alabama today hope to lay the groundwork for a long-term, water-sharing agreement for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, which has emerged in recent months as the prize in a water war spurred by the Southeast’s record drought.

In meetings scheduled in Tallahassee, Fla., Gov. Charlie Crist will try to convince fellow Republican Govs. Sonny Perdue of Georgia and Bob Riley of Alabama that Florida cannot abide by an ACF flow regime that would essentially rob the state’s Apalachicola Bay of necessary fresh water.

Georgia, meanwhile, will stress the growing water supply needs of burgeoning Atlanta, which draws water from an major upstate reservoir on the Chattahoochee River, while Alabama will maintain that the ACF basin must provide enough water to support that state’s industrial and municipal users.

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who hosted the three governors for negotiations on Nov. 1 in Washington, D.C., also will attend today’s meeting, as will representatives of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Fish and Wildlife Service, which is responsible for managing three federally protected species in the Apalachicola River.

The Army Corps is responsible for managing flows along 900 miles of river corridor that drain 19,300 square miles of watershed from the north Georgia mountains to the Florida Panhandle. Disputes over water rights in the basin date back nearly 20 years, as the three states began to realize their water needs exceeded what the ACF basin could provide, particularly in drought years.

This year’s drought has been among the worst ever in the Southeast, with rainfall across north Alabama, north and central Georgia, east Tennessee and the western Carolinas measuring half or less than half of normal accumulations.

Under an emergency operations plan implemented in November for the ACF basin, the Army Corps reduced water flows at a hydrodam on the Georgia-Florida border from 5,000 to 4,750 cubic feet per second, in part to allow for greater rainfall accumulation in upstate reservoirs.
The plan, approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service, could allow for even greater flow reductions at Woodruff Dam, but Florida has resisted the cuts, saying its commercial and recreational fishery in Apalachicola Bay is being harmed by the curtailment of fresh water. The bay already is suffering spikes in salinity because of the encroachment of seawater from the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in oyster die-offs and the loss of aquatic vegetation that provide critical habitat for fisheries.

The Fish and Wildlife Service last week signed off on a corps request to cut flows by another 250 cubic feet per second, prompting a protest letter from Florida Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole, who said the current and proposed cuts had “wrought compelling damage on Florida’s highly sensitive aquatic resources.”

Pat Robbins, a spokesman for the corps’ district office in Mobile, Ala., said this morning that no further reductions in flow were made over the weekend and that the agency was assessing the positive effect of a 1.75-inch rain that fell over the southern reaches of the ACF basin on Saturday.

Sarah Williams, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said this morning that Crist will steer the conversation to address both the short- and long-term issues facing the river basin.

“We realize this is a unique situation, but we want to come up with a long-term plan so this doesn’t happen again,” Williams said.

The governors are scheduled to meet today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST and will hold an afternoon press conference immediately afterward to share details of the talks.

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Opponents vow to fight DEQ approval of UP sulfide mining permit

December 14, 2007 at 9:24 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes, Land Use

Disappointment over decision to allow dangerous mining linked with acid mine drainage leads groups to plan next steps

Community and environmental leaders united today in their opposition to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s issuance of a permit for a dangerous sulfide mine on the Upper Peninsula’s Yellow Dog Plains.

Some opponents are now poised to legally challenge the flawed decision that would allow the mine to operate beneath a critical Lake Superior tributary.

The nickel mine would generate hundreds of thousands of tons of acid-leaching waste rock from underneath the Salmon Trout River near Marquette, putting the region’s water at risk, including Lake Superior.

“We are extremely disappointed that after all the work which went into crafting the law governing non-ferrous mining in Michigan that the DEQ has chosen to simply ignore key components of that law. They’ve granted Kennecott a permit which clearly doesn’t even meet the intent, let alone the letter of the law,” stated Anne Woiwode, state director of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter.

National Wildlife Federation attorney Michelle Halley said she and other opponents are currently considering a variety of administrative and court actions. “We need time to review the final permit conditions and will proceed after that,” she explained.

Opponents of the permit include: Huron Mountain Club, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Landowners Opposed to Sulfide Mining, Michigan Environmental Council, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, Students Against Sulfide Mining, Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, Save the Wild UP, and a host of other ad hoc groups throughout the region.

Less than two months after receiving more than 4,000 public comments, including a technical analysis that numbered more than 700 pages, the MDEQ upheld its preliminary decision to allow Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co. to blast a mine beneath a blue-ribbon trout stream.

“NWF and key allies that share our concerns are prepared to challenge these permits because they do not meet legal standards,” Halley said. “We cannot stand idly by while the DEQ permits fatally flawed projects.”

Halley questioned whether the MDEQ adequately considered the expert testimony that concluded the mine posed an unacceptable risk to the state’s water resources and the safety of mine workers.

“The MDEQ has always said they would make the decision based on science and yet they have ignored the technical information submitted by leading mining industry experts,” she explained. “Technical analysis was submitted by people who specialize in groundwater, subsidence, air pollution and a myriad of other specialties and all pointed to egregious errors in the permit application. For the MDEQ to turn a blind eye indicates that something other than science is prevailing in Lansing,” Halley continued.

Speaking on behalf of the Huron Mountain Club, Paul Townsend questioned whether the MDEQ ever seriously considered the risks.

“On October 17, we filed comprehensive comments in opposition to the proposed permits, including reports of scientific and engineering consultants, all well-respected experts in their fields. The complete filing was more than 700 pages,” Townsend recalled.

“Now the DEQ has approved the mining permits. While disappointing, this is not surprising, given the past performance of DEQ. We are even more disappointed in Governor Granholm’s lack of leadership on this critical issue. Had the technical comments been properly evaluated, she and her DEQ would have found repeated instances where Kennecott had submitted false or incomplete information which experts believe show that this mine will cause significant environmental damage to the Upper Peninsula,” Townsend said.

Cynthia Pryor, executive director of the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, said she believes fear is what is motivating the state agency.

“Unfortunately, Kennecott is holding the State of Michigan hostage to the notion that they will sue them for takings if this mine is not permitted. Why else would our government – who is bound to protect us – sell our lands, our waters and our natural resources to this company from England, despite the will of the people and the scientific realities of the project?” Pryor asked.

Save the Wild UP, the grassroots group that has vocally opposed the project, believes the state has sold out the people of the Upper Peninsula.

“DEQ has made a charade of listening to the public. Governor Granholm seems willing to hold her nose and allow the inevitable nasty pollution of the U.P. and the Great Lakes,” said Dick Huey, co-founder of Save the Wild UP.

While the mining company gained MDEQ approval today, opponents say the project still has several hurdles to clear, including at least one federal permit required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and permission from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to utilize 120 acres of state lands for the mine’s surface facilities via a 40-year land lease. One week ago, Kennecott was notified by MDNR of seven areas of concern related to the company’s plans for the property after the mine’s closure.

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Michigan DEQ Approves Kennecott Mine in Upper Peninsula

December 14, 2007 at 8:53 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes, Land Use

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 14, 2007
Contact: Robert McCann(517) 241-7397

DEQ Announces Decision on Kennecott Mine

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today its decision to approve a series of permits to the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company to conduct mining operations at the proposed Eagle Project Mine near Marquette. The department’s decision follows a period of extensive review by the DEQ of public comments and supporting information to determine whether Kennecott’s proposal met the strict standards contained within Michigan’s air quality, groundwater, and mining laws. The DEQ is required to make its decision based solely on whether a proposal meets those standards.

“This has been one of the most thorough reviews of an application ever done by this agency,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “In the end, Kennecott’s proposal met the high standard set by Michigan’s environmental laws.”

This project is the first to be subject to Michigan’s new Nonferrous Metallic Mineral Mining rules that were enacted in response to concerns over potential environmental impacts from mining of metallic sulfide ores. The rules, among the most stringent in the nation, were drafted and agreed to by a multi-stakeholder work group that included representatives from environmental, business, and mining organizations.

Director Chester noted that information received during the public comment period resulted in a number of changes to Kennecott’s permits to alleviate concerns that were expressed by the public and ensure that Michigan’s resources are protected.

“We have made every effort to address the public’s concerns within the limits of what the law allows,” said Director Chester. “We must now remain vigilant in ensuring that Kennecott complies with its permits and lives up to its end of the bargain in keeping Michigan’s environment safe.”

Examples of changes made to the permits during the public comment period include:

  • Limiting the mining activities to elevations below 327.5 meters to address concerns about the stability of the mine. Mining will only be allowed above that level when approved in writing by the DEQ based on further field investigations and analysis to be conducted by Kennecott.

  • Requiring annual certification that the rock stability is sufficient and providing for immediate work stoppage and notification to the DEQ if stability is questionable.

  • A requirement for a filter system in the mine shaft ventilation stack that will result in a significant decrease in particulate matter emissions.

  • A comprehensive fugitive dust plan.

  • Setting maximum daily limits for all groundwater parameters, and increased monitoring requirements.

Kennecott must still acquire a surface use lease from the Department of Natural Resources for the project.

A list of all permit changes and supporting information can be found on the DEQ website at www.michigan.gov/deq, then click on Kennecott Eagle Project.

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Wisconsin – State slow to act on Great Lakes compact

December 11, 2007 at 7:59 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes, Water

Water officials in other Upper Midwest states are watching Wisconsin with some concern as the state debates whether to sign on to a compact that would regulate withdrawal of water from the Great Lakes and ban pumping water out of the region.

“The quicker we can get this passed, the quicker we can get it to Congress, ” said Ken DeBeaussaert, director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes in Lansing.

DeBeaussaert said bills proposing approval of the compact have been introduced in both houses of the Michigan Legislature and have broad bipartisan support. The compact has been approved by Illinois and Minnesota. Wisconsin is the only one of the eight Great Lakes states considering the compact in which supporting legislation has not been introduced.

http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/index.php?ntid=261451

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Can Presidential Candidates Speak to Smart Growth Issues?

December 10, 2007 at 12:50 am · Filed under Government/Politics, Smart Growth

Repost from Planetizen Interchange Blog by Robert Goodspeed on how some of the leading candidate’s policy statements have interesting things to say about urban policy issues.

Barack Obama has this to say about how urban form is related to energy independence:

Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities: Over the longer term, we know that the amount of fuel we will use is directly related to our land use decisions and development patterns, much of which have been organized around the principle of cheap gasoline. Barack Obama believes that we must move beyond our simple fixation of investing so many of our transportation dollars in serving drivers and that we must make more investments that make it easier for us to walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives.

Reform Federal Transportation Funding: As president, Barack Obama will re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account. Obama will build upon his efforts in the Senate to ensure that more Metropolitan Planning Organizations create policies to incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of roads and sidewalks, and he will also re-commit federal resources to public mass transportation projects across the country. Building more livable and sustainable communities will not only reduce the amount of time individuals spent commuting, but will also have significant benefits to air quality, public health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Require States to Plan for Energy Conservation: Current law simply asks governors and their state Departments of Transportation to “consider” energy conservation as a condition of receiving federal transportation dollars. As president, Obama will require governors and local leaders in our metropolitan areas to make “energy conservation” a required part of their planning for the expenditure of federal transportation funds.

Level Employer Incentives for Driving and Public Transit: The federal tax code rewards driving to work by allowing employers to provide parking benefits of $205 per month tax free to their employees. The tax code provides employers with commuting benefits for transit, carpooling or vanpooling capped at $105 per month. This gives divers a nearly 2:1 advantage over transit users. Obama will reform the tax code to make benefits for driving and public transit or ridesharing equal.

After the Minnesota interstate bridge collapse last summer, Hillary Clinton released her “Rebuild America Plan.” In it, she pledged significant funding for improvements to roads, bridges, seaports, and broadband networks. She also pledged an additional $1 billion for intercity passenger rail systems, arguing it “It is an environmentally efficient alternative to highway driving and short flights; it relieves congestion on roads and airports; reduces the emission of automotive pollutants; and it stimulates economic growth by linking metropolitan areas.”

She also had this to say about public transit and local land use:

Increase federal funding for public transit by $1.5 billion per year. Increased public transit usage is arguably the best strategy for ameliorating the energy and environmental costs of transportation. As energy costs rise, more people will rely on public transportation. Today, only 5% of Americans commute by public transit, but doubling that figure could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25%. Public transit is also critically important to people who live in urban areas and rely on buses and trains for travel to work and school. Moreover, as the population ages, an increasing number of people will need public transit as their ability to drive diminishes. Hillary will increase federal investment in public transit by $1.5 billion per year to ensure needed capacity expansions and service level improvements.

Link federal public transit funds to local land use policies that encourage residential developments that maximize public transit usage. Over the next 25 years, a large percentage of the buildings we live, work, and shop in will be rebuilt or newly built. This presents a significant opportunity for the federal government to encourage sensible residential and commercial development that are linked to, and encourage, public transit usage. Local areas seeking large federal investments in public transit are already required to have land-use plans and policies that make investing in a high-density transit system worthwhile. Today, these requirements are focused mainly on commercial developments and not enough on residential considerations. Hillary will encourage the sort of dense residential concentrations needed to support public transit systems by better linking public transit funding with residential land-use policies. This will help to discourage sprawl and fight congestion.

John Edwards has the following policy recommendations for housing policy:

Create a Million New Housing Vouchers: Our current housing policies concentrate low-income families together, isolating willing workers from entry-level jobs and children from good schools. Edwards will create a million vouchers over five years to help low-income families move to better neighborhoods. At the same time, he will phase out housing projects that tie families to certain locations and are often lower quality and more expensive than private sector alternatives.

Revitalize Devastated Neighborhoods: Edwards believes that it is better to invest in struggling neighborhoods than abandon them. He will reform and expand the HOPE VI program to replace dilapidated housing in areas of concentrated poverty.

In his policies regarding energy, Edwards also discusses measures to reduce vehicle miles traveled:

Edwards will create incentives for states and regions to plan smart growth and transit-oriented development with benchmarks for reductions in vehicle miles traveled. He supports more resources to encourage workers to use public transportation and will encourage more affordable, low-carbon and low-ambient pollution transportation options.


Bill Richardson has said he would establish smart growth criteria for federal and state funding to “Give preference to funding for sites that comply with Smart Growth guidelines.” Fellow Interchange contributor Josh Stephen noted in September that Richardson brought up land use during an interview, stating he’d support policies addressing environmental justice, encourage “a smart land-use policy,” and support energy efficient transportation like like light rail.

While I couldn’t find statements on these issues on the Republican candidate’s websites during a brief review, it was mostly because they have chosen to highlight other topics. As groups like Smart Growth America are quick to point out, urban development policies are not strongly partisan and can result in unlikely allies working towards common goals. While they may not campaign on them, Republican candidates will also face these issues if elected president.

What are your reactions to the positions above–do they go far enough? What candidate positions or issue areas am I ignoring?

Robert Goodspeed is a master’s candidate in community planning at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Source:
Planetizen
Considering the Smart Growth President

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Michigan: State house Committee Pass Great Lakes Compact

December 6, 2007 at 9:50 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes, Water

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2007

Contact:

Patrick Schuh/517.214.4288

Cyndi Roper/517.490.1394

(Lansing)—The Michigan House of Representatives Great Lakes and Environment Committee today approved legislation ratifying the Great Lakes Compact, taking a crucial first step toward protecting Michigan’s water resources from abusive withdrawals and diversions. The multi-state, and a companion multi-nation agreement establishes basic guidelines to prevent Great Lakes water diversions and ensure resource sustainability; the Compact requires each state to pass implementing legislation.
“As the Great Lakes State, we must be leaders in providing water resource protection. As other states still undecided consider whether to approve the Compact, they look to see how Michigan weighs in on this historic agreement for our waters,” said David Holtz, Michigan Director for Clean Water Action. “The House committee action today demonstrates that Michigan—which has the most at stake in protecting the Great Lakes—has taken this important action in moving the Compact forward toward eventual approval by the full Legislature.”
The legislation (House Bill 4343) will ban the diversion of water outside the Great Lakes Basin and it signals that Michigan is serious about protecting the Great Lakes from exports. Upon legislative approval, Michigan will be the third of eight states to ratify the Compact.
A strong package of companion bills implementing the Compact that protect Michigan’s inland waters from damaging withdrawals by extending public control over all lakes, rivers and streams and giving residents a role in permit decisions also received a boost by the committee. Those bills were moved forward when the committee conditioned support for controversial water withdrawal technology favored by Senate Republicans to passage of the stronger water withdrawal protections in the Democratic bills.
Water use legislation this year has taken different directions in the House and Senate with the Senate’s proposal relying soley on untested technology—a web-based assessment tool supported by industry groups—to determine how much water can be taken from Michigan’s inland rivers,streams and groundwater. Local citizen groups and anglers concerned about the impacts on fishing streams throughout the state have expressed concern that the Senate approach would ignore local input thereby allowing large-scale water withdrawals that could impact local waterways.

“Any legislation that is passed must provide clear public oversight and strong protections against over pumping Michigan’s water, said Holtz. ” We applaud the house committee’s leadership in passing the Compact and eagerly await passage of the strong implementing legislation to which it is tie-barred.”

# # #
Clean Water Action is Michigan’s leading grassroots environmental organization with over 205,000 members statewide. Individuals can learn more about the organization and its campaigns atwww.cleanwateraction.org/mi.

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Michigan: Governor signs Long Awaited Environmental Justice Executive Directive

December 1, 2007 at 4:07 pm · Filed under Equity, Government/Politics

Governor Jennifer Granholm’s signing of an executive order promoting environmental justice drew praise today from the Campaign for State Action on Environmental Justice and its endorsers.This action directs the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to develop and implement a plan promoting environmental justice in Michigan. With this move, Michigan joins states such as New York, New Mexico and California that have similar guidance in place.

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-36898-180696–,00.html

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Party Officials, Legislators Call on Candidates to Commit to Restoring Great Lakes

November 16, 2007 at 5:22 pm · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes

Press Release from Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition

For Immediate Release:November 16, 2007

Michigan Party Officials, Legislators Call On Presidential Candidates to Commit to Restoring Great Lakes

ANN ARBOR, MICH. (November 16)-Republican and Democratic Party officials in key counties in Michigan are calling on the 2008presidential candidates to support Great Lakes restoration funding.

Their call comes on the same day that State Sen. Patty Birkholz(R-Saugatuck Township), chair of the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, and State Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor), chair of the Great Lakes and Environment Committee, are sending a bi-partisan letter to presidential candidates urging them to embrace Great Lakes restoration.

“The time to act for the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes is now, as we face an ever-increasing pressure from invasive species, pollution, and coastal habitat loss,” said Rep. Warren.“Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers recognize that the protection of 20 percent of the world’s available freshwater is imperative and that is why we are calling on Presidential candidates from both parties to commit to fully fund Great Lakes Restoration.”

“Michigan is already doing our part by working to implement the Compact. It is time for the Presidential candidates to commit to protecting and restoring the health of the Great Lakes,” said Sen.Birkholz. “Every day we wait, the problems get worse and the solutions get more costly.”

Republican and Democratic Party leaders from key counties-including Genesee, Ingham, Kent, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland and Washtenaw-are sending the letters to candidates seeking the White House urging presidential candidates to embrace the restoration of the lakes.

“If presidential candidates want to make inroads in vital swing districts in a key battleground state, they would do well to embrace Great Lakes restoration in their platform,” said Stephanie Pazdro,chairman of the Macomb County GOP. “Great Lakes restoration is an issue that cuts across party lines and presents a rare opportunity for candidates to expand their base of support among voters.”

The push by Democratic and Republican Party officials and legislators comes a week after the eight Great Lakes governors, including Gov.Jennifer Granholm, publicly called on the candidates to restore the Great Lakes.

“The region is united,” said Robert Sisson, membership and development director for the Great Lakes Office of Republicans for Environmental Protection. “Great Lakes restoration is not an issue defined by political affiliation. It is defined by the urgent need to act now to protect a resource that is the foundation of our economy and way of life. Presidential candidates who turn their backs on the Great Lakes are failing to protect the needs of millions of people.”

Michigan, the Great Lakes state, has strong support for restoring the Great Lakes in the nation’s capitol. The state’s entire Congressional delegation has signed on to comprehensive federal legislation to restore the lakes based on the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy, a plan crafted by over 1,500 citizens.

“Presidential support comes down to this: Committing to fully fund within 5 years the implementation of a comprehensive restoration plan to stop sewage contamination, halt the onslaught of invasive species, and address other serious threats,” said Brian Beauchamp, campaign manager, Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “It is time for presidential candidates to support manageable solutions to protect our lakes, our economy, our drinking water, and our way of life.”

Michigan and the other Great Lakes states contain 141 electoral votes and are considered a crucial component to winning the White House. Many of the local party officials sending letters hail from key swing districts in the state, including Macomb County. With so much public and political support, presidential candidates who fail to support Great Lakes restoration do so at their own political peril.

“The message these letters send is clear: Presidential Candidates looking for support from Michiganders Red or Blue must commit to restoring the health of the Great Lakes,” said Chris Grubb, field director for the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition. “By failing to make a commitment to restoring the health of the Great Lakes, the 2008 Presidential candidates are thus far turning their back on Michigan and the other Great Lakes states.”

For more information: http://www.healthylakes.org/

Contact:
Jordan Lubetkin, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (734)887-7109, lubetkin@nwf.org
Chris Grubb, Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, (734) 887-7104;cgrubb@nwf.org
Robert Sisson, Republicans for Environmental Protection, (269)651-1808; rsisson@rep.org
Brian Beauchamp, League of Conservation Voters, (734) 222-9651;brian@michiganlcv.org

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First Ever Presidential Forum on Global Warming Webcast Saturday

November 16, 2007 at 3:21 pm · Filed under Climate Change, Events/Campaigns, Government/Politics

This Saturday presidential candidates will gather in Los Angeles for the first presidential forum on energy and global warming. The event will be a critical opportunity to hear from the candidates on their positions and to further elevate our issues in the presidential election. More than a thousand people will fill the theater to watch the event, and due to overwhelming interest, we are giving everyone the chance to tune in! You can watch the live webcast at www.grist.org/webcast

The event, which is sponsored by Grist and Living on Earth, will start at 5:15 EST with a welcome address from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Each of the candidates will then get 30 minutes on stage to talk about their vision for solving our energy problems and answer questions on their policies. Here’s the schedule:

5:30 EST—Congressman Dennis Kucinich
6:00 EST—Senator Hillary Clinton
6:30 EST—Senator John Edwards

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Will Michigan Local Governance Structure Join the 21st Century?

August 28, 2007 at 2:15 am · Filed under Government/Politics, Great Lakes, News Picks

Perhaps, finally, Michigan’s system of local government will move into the 20th century (even though we’re in the 21st century). An article from the Michigan Land Use Institute based in Traverse City, MI, reports that the State May Push Local Governments To Cooperate, indicating that the state lawmakers may be re-examining the antiquated and complex system of operating and delivering services to counties, cities, villages and townships. One of the biggest problems with the system, in this blogger/smart growth advocate’s view, is that many Michigan township’s form of small government duplicate many services and waste taxpayer dollars. Township’s resistance to thinking regionally and acting cooperatively, has hampered the states ability to pool resources and address shared issues. These issues include not only land use and environment, but also local emergency services, public schools and other critical public services. There has been research supporting Michigan government reform for several years (see links below). Having been involved in and worked in Michigan at state, county, city and township levels, I know that something needs to change in the state to get Michigan on the right track again. See the links in this post to find out more about this issue.

White Paper H: Intergovernmental Cooperation and Revenue Sharing

Task Force on Local Government Services and Fiscal Stability May 2006 Special Report

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