Charting a course for the waters that nourish us

Looking out at a Great Lakes horizon, it’s easy to be moved and hard to be short-sighted. The immense, dynamic, awe-inspiring lakes feed body and soul – providing drinking water, recreation, inspiration, and much more – for ourselves and future generations. They make a powerful case for taking a long view.

EGLE Director Phil Roos (back row) and Emily Finnell (front row holding banner) of the Office of the Great Lakes, at the Benton Harbor on Sept. 30, 2023 announcing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant. Courtesy of the EPA.

Michigan’s Office of the Great Lakes (OGL), created by statute in 1985 with that long view in mind, collaborates with many partners and organizations to develop and implement forward-thinking, human-centered water policy and programs to safeguard the world’s largest freshwater resource for decades to come.

The OGL, part of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), engages on Great Lakes matters in regional governance forums and works with diverse partners to develop policies, new catalytic programs, and initiatives that take a systems approach to address emerging and legacy challenges facing the Great Lakes. The office also leverages the Michigan Great Lakes Protection Fund to support the development of new tools, resources, and programs.   

Over the past year, the OGL has continued its focus on the interconnections among freshwater sustainability, community well-being, climate impacts, environmental justice and equity, and the OGL’s strategic goals:  

• Protecting Great Lakes ecosystems and fresh water. 
• Growing the water-based blue economy – maritime in particular. 
• Fostering Great Lakes literacy and stewardship in all Michiganders. 
• Creating vibrant, resilient communities centered on equity and well-being. 

The OGL funded a $100,000 study to identify innovations in water conservation best practices that can benefit Michigan’s water sectors and contribute to MI Healthy Climate Plan goals, advance Michigan’s water conservation and efficiency goals under the Great Lakes Compact, and support long-term water resource sustainability. 

The office continues to advance smart shipping, marine autonomy, and freshwater technologies through collaborations within EGLE and with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Technological University, and the new Freshwater and Marine Tech Hub initiative in Northern Michigan led by the new Discover Blue Consortium.  

EGLE, MDOT, and the MEDC are collaborating to develop statewide strategy to decarbonize, electrify, and increase sustainability of ports, harbors, and the maritime economy. The strategy complements the updated Michigan Sustainable Small Harbors Tools and Tactics Guidebook.   

The OGL continues to build diverse collaborative partnerships and funding strategies with the City of Benton Harbor for restoration and revitalization of Ox Creek and advancing the Twin Cities Sustainable Harbor Strategy for the St. Joseph Harbor. The city and partners work together to ensure these projects will address environmental injustices, create resilient ecosystems, and build a healthier community. Future OGL work will inform capacity-building programs to replicate the Ox Creek Collaborative Partnership as a model for other coastal Michigan communities. An Ox Creek summit is planned for Wednesday, July 31. Stay tuned for more details.

OGL Great Lakes Stewardship Coordinator Katie Mika is leading development of collaborative strategies to educate all generations of Michiganders about the Great Lakes ecosystem, water conservation, and stewardship. This work builds on From Students to Stewards (FS2S), a collaborative initiative by the OGL and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s MiSTEM Network. FS2S integrates Great Lakes literacy into K-12 curricula and promotes water-focused STEM programs that can prepare students for careers.  

The OGL also partnered with Aqua Action in the first Great Lakes hacking challenge co-hosted by Northwestern Michigan College to support student-led technological projects to solve freshwater challenges. The finale of the nonprofit’s 2023-24 AquaHacking Challenge, where competitors work with water experts to solve regional challenges, took place May 10 in Traverse City.

Vying for shares of $35,000 in seed money, 10 finalists from the U.S. and Canada presented projects focused on PFAS, lead contamination, microplastics, nutrients, and more. Philadelphia-based startup Baleena won first prize for a microplastics filter for washing machines.

The Great Lakes’ health requires a culture of stewardship and rebuilding relationships to the natural world. Programs and policies that are human-centric and address environmental injustices, centered around stewardship and sustainability, will position Michigan to address water resource challenges that may intensify due to climate change and societal needs.  

The OGL will continue serving the people of Michigan; building collaborative inclusive partnerships; and increasing the collective capacity of individuals, communities, and many partners to improve well-being and ensure the long-term sustainability of the world’s premier freshwater ecosystem. 

Adapted from an article by Emily Finnell, EGLE Office of the Great Lakes, in the 2023 Michigan State of the Great Lakes Report.