While much changed on Tuesday, there are fundamentals that remain the same.
1 in 10 Americans, or nearly 30 million people across eight states, rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water. We’re united by the water we share, which is why the Alliance has always been a nonpartisan group focused on keeping the Great Lakes clean and protected. When it comes to the Great Lakes, there is far more that unites us than divides us. I believe that today as fervently as ever.
Our Great Lakes are our lifeblood, literally sustaining our lives with their waters. They are the hub of a globally competitive economy that is dependent on access to clean fresh water. And the lakes are an ecosystem that includes us and the vast diversity of fish, wildlife and plants that find a home in our region.
There is true strength in a unified voice for the lakes. We expect our leaders to keep existing laws and regulations that protect the Great Lakes and clean water in place and enforced. We must fulfill the promise of a restored Great Lakes, free from pollution, resilient to a changing climate, and accessible to all who live, work and play here. The science that undergirds these protections remains fundamental to the health and vitality of this region and all of its people. Great Lakes and clean water protection are never optional, but must-haves.
The Alliance’s work to protect the lakes cuts across federal, state and local levels, and we are fortunate to have Great Lakes governors, and other state and local elected officials who have made public commitments to protect the lakes. We will continue holding them accountable for those commitments in the years to come.
I believe our work is strongest when it includes all who live and work here. There is no space for stoking divisions across race, gender, faith, or economic status when doing the job of protecting our Great Lakes. We share a common value for clean water. And we will be here, alongside supporters like you, standing up for the lakes we depend on.
We’ll share lots of specifics with you in the coming weeks about what the election means for the Great Lakes and how we can all work together to protect them.
Thank you for your continued support in the years to come. We all win with water.
Sincerely,
Joel Brammeier, President & CEO
Media Contact:
Don Carr, Alliance for the Great Lakes Media Director, can be reached at dcarr@greatlakes.org/(651)-395-4270