A draft of the new Michigan Great Lakes Plan was shared with the public.
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MARQUETTE -- A new plan aimed at protecting and restoring the Great Lakes was unveiled in Marquette on Monday night.
It was just less than a week ago when the draft of the Michigan Great Lakes Plan was released. The plan was developed by the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes and stakeholders over the summer. Now, they're traveling around the state, collecting public input on ways the lakes can be protected for generations to come.
"In 2005, there was a regional plan developed to protect and restore the Great Lakes," states Ken Debeaussaert of OLG, "and we're trying to take that plan at the Michigan level and decide how we can move forward."
The draft plan seeks to preserve the integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem. But to make it work, officials know that it must reflect the issues from the local level.
The main concern Monday night, expressed by some U.P. residents, is the affect of potential mining operations.
"We know we're not going to be competitive in the future if we don protect Michigan's quality of life, and our Great Lakes define the quality of life," commented Donna Stein of the MUCC.
The Michigan Great Lakes Plan looks at eight different areas, including coastal health, aquatic invasive species, and toxic pollutants.
The Office of the Great Lakes will use the information collected from the public to put together a final report, which is expected to be released early next year.
If you'd like to submit a comment or concern, it must be done before November 26.
