LANSING — The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following statement today on behalf of MDP Chair Lavora Barnes regarding Gov. Gretchen Whitmer‘s announcement of the Great Lakes 2020 Presidential Agenda:
“Michigan’s economy, heritage, and way of life are dependent on the preservation of our Great Lakes. Under Governor Whitmer’s strong leadership, protecting the Great Lakes has become a top priority for our state once again. With today’s announcement of the Great Lakes 2020 Presidential Agenda, Governor Whitmer continues to ensure that the priorities of the Great Lakes region are acknowledged on a national stage.
“The Great Lakes contain over 84 percent of the country’s fresh surface water. Forty-eight million people depend on the Great Lakes for their drinking supply. Fifty-one million jobs are created by the Great Lakes, resulting in $6 trillion in economic activity.
“We must take action. It’s our moral responsibility to protect Michigan communities that rely on our shared waters. We cannot ignore crumbling infrastructure or compromise the safety of our water and communities. The time to invest is now because the point of no return is just over the horizon with continued efforts by Donald Trump to slash federal funding for protecting the Great Lakes.
“Thanks to Governor Whitmer’s leadership, Democratic Governors from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Pennsylvania have already joined Michigan to endorse this agenda. With the stakes this high, it’s clear that any Democrat running for President should get behind this agenda if they want to turn Michigan blue in 2020.”
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