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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted November 4, 2002 Press release and photo © 2002 Jennifer Granholm for Governor.

Conservation, environmental leaders support Granholm for Governor

Voters face a clear choice between Republican candidate Dick Posthumus and Democratic candidate Jennifer Granholm on environmental and conservation issues, they argued. Granholm's election would mean restoration of public 
participation in state natural resources policymaking, a return to leadership on critical issues like urban sprawl and clean water, and a rejection of Engler Administration policies that have cost taxpayers, hunters and anglers millions while benefiting special interests.

Granholm has been endorsed by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, the North Woods Call and others. 

She represents "the best opportunity in 20 years for Michigan voters to restore Michigan's conservation priorities, while protecting the public trust, and allowing sound biological science (and not politics) to guide the management of our natural resources," said Natural Resources Consultant Jim Goodheart.

"Voters face a clear choice in November between Jennifer Granholm, who will restore Michigan's tradition of environmental protection and enforcement, and Dick Posthumus, who worked to gut Michigan's polluter pay and accountability laws," said Dan Farough, political director of the Sierra Club. "The people along the Tittabawassee River, in Romulus, along Lake St. Clair or in the communities impacted by factory farm pollution around the state cannot afford four more years of Engler-Posthumus."

Glen Sheppard, editor of the North Woods Call, called Granholm "the best choice we've had an opportunity to make" on conservation issues "since Bill Milliken last ran for governor in 1978."

Conservation and environmental leaders pointed out that Granholm has taken aggressive pro-conservation positions on Great Lakes exotic species control, expanding Michigan's bottle deposit law to include water and juice containers, the fight against diseases that put Michigan's wildlife at risk, protection of sand dunes from mining and other issues. Granholm's opponent, Dick Posthumus, has opposed expansion of the bottle deposit, wants to protect only a small fraction of sand dunes and has failed to distance himself from the Engler Administration's raids on hunting and fishing license money and its neglect of critical outdoor issues.

"Michigan citizens want a Governor who will enforce the laws and who has a vision of the importance of clean water in our daily lives," said Cyndi Roper, Michigan Director of Clean Water Action. "By voting for Jennifer Granholm, they can send the message that they want clean and safe drinking water, fish free of contaminants, and clean beaches."

"The choice of running mates by the two candidates also tells us a lot about what kind of state government they would run," said Dave Dempsey, author of a book on Michigan's conservation history. "Posthumus chose Loren Bennett, who has helped roll back some of Michigan's most important environmental laws and has a dismal 33% voting record on environmental issues over the last four years. Jennifer Granholm's choice of John Cherry, who has an 89% voting record and has championed environmental issues for the last 20 years, shows different values. Those values take into account the Michigan our children will inherit."

Said Mike Moore, former DNR Director and state forester, "I strongly urge those concerned about conservation of our natural resources to vote for Jennifer Granholm for Governor. She has committed to take politics out of conservation and restore professional management of our wildlife, fisheries, forests, recreational lands and other resources. She strongly supports enforcement of conservation laws."

Howard Tanner, DNR Director from 1975 to 1983, said, "I believe conservation and environmental protection within Michigan are at a crossroad. We either begin a process of rebuilding our legacy for the future with Jennifer Granholm, or continue down the path of indifference and neglect that the Posthumus/Engler administration has designed over the past 12 years."

The complete Granholm environmental plan, "Protecting the Environment, Growing Our Economy," is available on the Granholm campaign Web site.

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