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Enviro-Mich message from "Robert McCann" <mccannr@michigan.gov>
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LuAnne -
While having open discussions and airing our disagreements are both a
healthy part of any public process, I'm very disappointed with the tone
of your email. Today, the entire staff of the DEQ is wondering whether
or not they will even be able to report to their jobs next week because
of the budget impasse, and using this as an opportunity to attack them
over the decisions that have been made on this project is completely
inappropriate.
The DEQ is required to make difficult decisions based on what the law
tells us. You may disagree with a decision, and you may even disagree
with how that decision was made, but to make baseless allegations about
why those decisions were made does not solve any problem nor does it help
any cause.
I have worked with the DEQ staff for about 3 ½ years now, and during that
time I have never ceased to be impressed by the dedication our staff has
to doing their jobs and protecting Michigan's environment, often under
difficult and thankless conditions. We of course have disagreements with
the environmental community at times, but we have never been unwilling to
listen to their concerns.
In the future, I would encourage you work with us instead of falsely
attacking our integrity. If you have any questions, I will do my best to
answer them. I can't guarantee that we'll always agree with one another,
but I can guarantee that we can all do more good by communicating with
one another in an open and honest manner.
Robert McCann
Press Secretary
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Phone: 517-241-7397
Fax: 517-241-7401
Email: mccannr@michigan.gov
LuAnne Kozma <luanne_kozma@yahoo.com> 9/27/2007 10:43 PM >>>
This assumes that when "you" call government, they might actually
respond. I suppose if "you" had an ammonia leak at a school and "you"
were in, say, Novi, you might get a speedy response.
When "you" call your trusty DNR and DEQ and senators and congressmen and
other elected leaders you are black and live in Benton Harbor... and you
find out that they are in collaboration with a major corporation taking
over your park-- and they won't even give "you"--or anyone in your
community--say, environmental reports, or, maps, or give you time to
speak at meetings, or ....wait, your Congressman is in the family of the
major corporation that gave money to the governor.... then "you" don't
get government to work for you at all.
NOW who ya gonna call?
There has been plenty of money earmarked for pet projects that benefit
Governor Granholm's campaign contributors like Whirlpool executives and
state police complex landlords.
When will the rest of the State stand up to this outrage and get
government to answer to and represent the people, especially communities
like Benton Harbor, instead of corporations and special interests who pay
their way to push huge boondoggles like the Harbor Shores Elite Golfers'
Paradise? (Which isn't a done deal by the way).
We must save Jean Klock Park from a Michigan government answering to
power, not the people.
Take a little time off guys, and think about who you truly serve.
LuAnne Kozma
Anne Woiwode <Anne.Woiwode@sierraclub.org> wrote:
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } By Monday we may be
forced to test the theory posited by some pundits and electeds that
government is over-rated. Who needs it?
So, think about ?who ya gonna call?? when there is a pollution disaster
in your neighborhood. How?s about hydrogen sulfide from a sour gas well?
What about an overflowing toxic waste lagoon spilling into the lake? And
what about spills on the highways that drain into drinking water sources?
Maybe an ammonia leak near a school -- oh, maybe the schools will not be
open for long anyway.
State government IS shutting down. We hear that legislative staff have
been told that they should not expect to show up Monday. Emergency
meetings in the Administration have been deciding how to shut it all down
-- prisons are staying open, but not much else.
So when the lights and the voting board in the House and Senate
Chambers get shut off for non-payment of electric bills, will they be
able to buy a chalk board and chalk to keep track of votes?
A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne M. Woiwode, State Director, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter - 109 E.
Grand River Avenue, Lansing, MI 48906 517-484-2372 fax 517-484-3108
-- anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
celebrating our 40th Anniversary on September 9, 2007 Visit us at
http://michigan.sierraclub.org/index.shtml
Act Today: Join our Legislative Alerts System!
http://mackinac.sierraclubaction.org Act FOR Tomorrow: Support the
Sierra Club Michigan Chapter - contact Wendi Tilden at
wendi.tilden@sierraclub.org
---------------------------------
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