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 with the Governor’s office to… 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 Department of Environment, Great Lakes,… 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 Mackinac. This order, issued on… 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 proposed Line 5 tunnel project… 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 consume more than two million… 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 septic systems. The problem? Nitrates… 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 many potential shortfalls that must… 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. Representing Michigan Citizens for Water… 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 the legislation address long-standing, increasingly… 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 Court of Appeals regarding Enbridge… Read more »
