Advocate

July 17, 2025: The Executive Director signed on to a letter created by Healing Our Waters in opposition to HR 3898, also known as the “PERMIT Act.” Read the letter to the full House of Representatives and a summary of the anti-clean water provisions in HR 3898.

June 6 2025: The Executive Director signed on to a letter created by Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition urging Congress to keep and support GLRI and water quality issues in the FY26 budget. Read the letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Read the letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. Read the letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies. Read the letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. Read the letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs.

April 23, 2025: The Executive Director signed on to a letter along with other groups from the Great Lakes region. The letter comments on US EPA proposed rulemaking and guidance on the scope of Clean Water Act protections Read the letter to the US Environmental Protection Agency and US Army Corps of Engineers here.

April 21, 2025: The Executive Director signed on to a letter prepared by members of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition our support for H.R. 284, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025. Read the letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee.

April 21, 2025: The Executive Director signed on to a letter to support and protect NOAA.  Read the letter to Members of Congress.

February 14, 2025: The Executive Director wrote a letter to EGLE to strongly urge EGLE to deny the Top Golf Wetland Permit Application #HQ6-2QBJ-6DAMW.  The FOTR team feels very strongly that this is an issue that will have direct negative impacts on the watershed and is something that should not be approved. FOTR also requested that a public hearing be held regarding this permit.  Read the letter to Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

September 10, 2024: The Executive Director signed on to a letter prepared by members of the Clean Water for All Coalition for the Congressional hearing on Sackett v. EPA. The letter details the impact of the Sackett decision as well as the further deregulatory efforts which have followed. Read the letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee.

June 26, 2024: On June 21, an oil spill was reported at the Northville Downs Development property.  On June 26, FOTR sent a letter to the mayor of Northville to express concern about the spill and how its impact can be mitigated and prevented in the future. The letter can be read here. 

May 24, 2024: The Executive Director signed FOTR to a letter in support of Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition recommendations for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan IV. View the letter here.

April 30, 2024: The Executive Director signed a letter to Congressional leadership in support of the Great Lakes Restoration (GLRI) Act of 2024. Earlier this year a bipartisan group of Great Lakes Representatives and Senators introduced the GLRI Act of 2024. H.R. 7257 and S. 3738 would reauthorize the GLRI for another 5 years, increasing funding to $500 million annually, allowing the federal government to continue to accelerate its investment to restore and protect the Great Lakes and tackle serious threats, including toxic pollution, runoff, habitat loss, and invasive species. Read the letter to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Read the letter to the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee.

December 18, 2023: The Executive Director signed a letter to EGLE opposing the Salem Township’s application for a Wastewater Treatment Facility. This proposed sewage facility is to be located at the southwest corner of M-14 and Napier Roads, north of Powell Road, directly across from Plymouth Township on land owned by the developer of the “Salem Springs” project. This sewage plant will discharge 840,000 gallons of flow each day into the Fellows Creek which runs through Plymouth and Canton Townships and into the lower Rouge River. This additional discharge would negatively impact the Lower Rouge River’s Follow’s Creek that is uniquely important as an ecological resource. View the letter Here
Learn more and see the news coverage Here

September 19, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto a letter from CRSD requesting green steelmaking processes in any future EV endeavors. GM’s #1 provider of steel is Cleveland Cliffs (in Dearborn), whom we are hoping will NOT reline their blast furnace and into investing into more green steel-making technologies. The letter focuses specifically on GM but references the disparate health impacts resulting from the Cleveland Cliffs steel mill (the Rouge Steel Complex). View the letter Here.

August 28, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter urging EPA Administrator Michael Regan to consider three main principles to ensure the program remains successful for the next five years: restoring and protecting the Great Lakes as a source of drinking water, prioritizing restoration in the places facing the greatest threats and harms, and supporting projects that are both climate friendly and prepare the region for the climate impacts that we cannot avoid. View the letter Here.

May 12, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter regarding funding for the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission. The letter details this program and makes our respective FY2024 funding request. View the letter Here.

May 12, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter regarding funding for  the USDA and Farm Bill programs, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and its programs important for providing the technical assistance and investments needed to reduce agricultural runoff and its impact on water quality and the growing threat of HABs. The letter details these programs and makes our respective FY2024 funding requests. View the letter Here.

May 12, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter regarding funding for NOAA programs, including funding for the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, Marine Debris, research into HABs, and several grant programs like Sea Grant and the Coastal Zone Management Grants. The letter details these programs and makes our respective FY2024 funding requests. View the letter Here.

May 12, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter regarding funding for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, including the Corps role in protecting the basin from invasive carp through investments in Brandon Road PED, in addition to enhancing Great Lakes restoration and resiliency through research and coastal infrastructure improvements. The letter details these programs and makes our respective FY2024 funding requests. View the letter Here.

May 12, 2023: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) letter regarding funding for the GLRI, the USGS and FWS’s invasive species activities and research, and the array of EPA clean water and water infrastructure grant programs. The letter details the importance of these programs and makes the respective FY2024 funding requests to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. View the letter Here.

April 18, 2023: The Executive Director wrote a letter to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy voicing strong opposition to the Salem Springs Application for a Wastewater Treatment Facility. Due to the Fellows Creek’s unique importance as an ecological resource, and the negative impact that the Salem Springs development and associated infrastructure could have on the health of Fellows Creek and the Rouge River watershed, FOTR recommends denial of this permit. View the letter Here.

April 18, 2023: The Executive Director wrote a letter to the Livonia Planning Commission urging them to act cautiously when considering the new development of St. Mary’s Basilica (18100 Merriman and 36000 Brookview Drive in Livonia). Due to Tarabusi Creek’s unique importance as an ecological resource, FOTR recommends implementing strong green infrastructure practices that can mitigate stormwater impact to adjacent communities and creek. View the letter Here.

April 18, 2023: The Executive Director wrote a letter to the Plymouth Township Planning Commission urging them to act cautiously when considering rezoning for new Sparr’s Greenhouse development (corner of Joy and Lilley). Due to the proximity of Tonquish Creek, and its unique importance as an ecological resource, FOTR recommends implementing strong green infrastructure practices that can mitigate stormwater impact to adjacent communities and creek. View the letter Here.

February 13, 2023: The Executive Director wrote a letter to Kurt Heise asking Plymouth Township leadership to act cautiously when beginning this new era of development regarding Northville Downs. The proposed relocation of their horse racing track to Plymouth Township to a 40-acre parcel on the easterly portion of a 128-acre swath of the broader site near Five Mile and Ridge would run directly along Johnson Creek, the last remaining cold water tributary in the entire Rouge watershed. View the letter Here.

February 13, 2023: The Executive Director wrote a letter to Kurt Heise asking Plymouth Township leadership to act cautiously when beginning this new era of development regarding Jones Development company’s plans to build three warehouses, totaling nearly 1 million square feet, at the southeast corner of FiveMile and Napier roads. Which would run directly would run directly along Johnson Creek, the last remaining cold water tributary in the entire Rouge watershed. View the letter Here.

November 2, 2022: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) Letter urging the Administration to fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) at no less than $425 million in the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget request. View the letter Here.

November 2, 2022: The Executive Director signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) Letter urging congress to come to an agreement on a final fiscal year 2023 that enhances support for Great Lakes restoration and clean water priorities. View the letter Here.

June 16, 2022: The Executive Director signed onto a letter to the EPA regarding the continuing implementation of the new State Revolving Fund (SRF) funding provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, as requested by the HOW. View the letter Here.

May 17, 2022: The Executive Director signed onto Great Lakes Coalition Senate WRDA 2022 Letter of Support, as requested by HOW. View the letter HERE.

April 14, 2022:
The Executive Director signed letters on behalf of FOTR to the Appropriations Committees in Congress which are subdivided into 12 subcommittees. Five of them direct appropriation funds for our priorities. The letters linked to below are to the following subcommittees:

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

State, Foreign Operation, and Related Agencies

January, 31 2022: Signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) Letter urging WOTUS to strengthen Clean Water Protections. View the letter HERE.

January 31, 2022: Submitted letter, requested by community members, to the City of Northville Planning and Zoning Commission. View the letter HERE.

January 12, 2022: Signed onto Healing Our Waters (HOW) Letter urging for equitable implementation of water infrastructure funding. View the letter HERE.

January 12, 2022: The Executive Director made a statement, reviewed by the Advocacy Committee for review and certified by Mike Wilczynski, that may be used for future requests on watershed development activities.

December 20, 2021: Responded to a letter drafted by the City of Detroit Council Member Scott Benson, District 3, regarding a third shoreline collapse in the Detroit River due to poor management from Detroit Bulk Storage. Rather than sign the original letter, FOTR drafted our own letter due to concerns about FOTR’s ability to suggest that a company be barred from doing business in a community.