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Dear John,

I walked along the Lake Michigan shoreline this weekend. My neighborhood beach is gone, and the water is already lapping up over the rocks onto the walking path and grassy shore.

In part due to climate change, Great Lakes water levels are experiencing extremes – mostly much higher, and sometimes lower. Amidst one crisis, worsened by the Trump Administration's refusal to listen to science, we may soon be facing another. Lakefront erosion and flooding are already causing destruction along Chicago’s south and north side lakefront communities, in northwest Indiana, and in western Michigan shoreline communities. Increased Great Lakes shoreline flooding (and more Mississippi River flooding, too) will greatly impact people’s lives and communities. Our government needs to step up preparedness actions, soon.

Some might say that now isn’t the right time to point out the impacts of Great Lakes water levels rising, as our hospitals are strained and our neighbors in peril from COVID-19. But, we do need to find ways to walk and chew gum at the same time. If anything, the fact that we’re enacting such drastic measures to combat one crisis should strengthen our resolve to fight another. We’re all in this together and can alleviate more harm if we prepare now.

The science is clear; take a look at ELPC’s state-of-the-science Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Great Lakes, and Recommended Policy Solutions ([link removed]) . ELPC is already expanding our work on shoring up the Great Lakes in light of climate change realities.

The federal government is preparing a massive stimulus package to fight COVID-19 and the havoc that it continues to wreak on our nation’s health and economy. ELPC is working to ensure clean transportation and clean energy actions are included, while fighting back and playing to win against the Trump Administration’s continued misguided attempted rollbacks of clean air and safe clean water standards. We must protect public health on all fronts, and ELPC will continue to be a watchdog for the Midwest.

Over the past week:
* The Senate heard our message loud and clear: public transit and passenger rail need emergency funding support. Last night, they passed a$2 trillion stimulus package ([link removed]) that allocates $25 billion to transit and over $1 billion to Amtrak. Now the bill heads to the House.
* While you’re doing your part social-distancing and staying at home, the Trump EPA is putting our long-term public health even further at risk. They’re attempting to change the rules in order to ignore health studies when setting health policy. They’re trying to hustle this change forward with limited time for public comment. ELPC Federal Legislative Director Ann Mesnikoff breaks down the dangers of this supposed "transparency in science" initiative ([link removed]) , and what we can do to fight back.
* ELPC successfully challenged DTE’s energy plan before the Michigan Public Service Commission, because they did not advance solar energy + storage opportunities, among other flaws. ELPC Senior Attorney Margrethe Kearney is keeping the pressure on the utility with its revised plan, telling Crain’s Detroit Business ([link removed]) : “We hope to see DTE not just talk about using more renewable energy — but actually do it.”
* The National Weather Service’s forecast ([link removed]) for spring flooding along the Upper Mississippi River predicts a 50% probability of major flooding in many areas. Safety precautions and preparedness are vital to protect public health and our communities. ELPC is stepping up to address these issues following our report ([link removed]) on Mississippi River at-risk levees.

ELPC is playing to win on environmental issues that matter for a healthy planet and communities. Please stay healthy and be well in these challenging times.

Howard A. Learner
Executive Director
Environmental Law & Policy Center

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