Governor Whitmer Puts Families First in State of the State Address

LANSING – Governor Gretchen Whitmer in her State of the State address prioritized a multibillion-dollar pandemic relief plan to help Michigan families recover from the pandemic. Michigan families came first during her address that framed a common ground approach to confront the issues of the state including water. The Governor urged approval of a $500 million initiative to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure, initially unveiled in October, and called for passage of bills that would let counties levy local fuel and vehicle registration taxes for water infrastructure, if authorized by voters. 

Statements follow from Cyndi Roper, Michigan Senior Policy Advocate, and Derrell Slaughter, Michigan Clean Energy Advocate, at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“Governor Whitmer’s vision for the state is clear: put our families and their future first. Pandemic relief and clean water investments are exactly what’s needed to help Michiganders build a better future. The Governor has made an important first step by earmarking existing water funding to ensure equal access to clean, safe and affordable water for all. Water is essential to life and there should be no resident in our state struggling to access water. The Michigan legislature should support Governor Whitmer’s proposal and plug the remaining hole in our water infrastructure gap, which is estimated at about $1 billion per year,” said Cyndi Roper, Michigan Senior Policy Advocate at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). 

“Michigan has the chance to turn the existential threat of climate change into opportunity. We are building a foundation now in our state for a just clean energy transition that will create jobs, boost our economy and protect the health and well-being of our families. Governor Whitmer is helping lead the way, in particular with last fall’s executive action to address climate. As the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan is being developed, it will be critical to build in a process and policy framework to ensure this transition happens fairly and equitably,” said Derrell Slaughter, Michigan Clean Energy Advocate, at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council).

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.