Residents told Michigan Republicans about their environmental concerns during a community talk in St. Clair Shores Thursday.
Lake St. Clair, a source of drinking water for many Michigan communities, was a major topic of conversation. Pollution, invasive species and sewer overflow came up as some of the biggest points of concern.
Republican gubernatorial nominee John James said if elected, he’d be willing to spend money on the issue.
“It is otherworldly to force the best people in the world, Michiganders, to drink from a toilet bowl. Lake St. Clair is a treasure. It is a crown jewel of Michigan. We’re going to start treating it that way,” James said.
Some ideas that came up for paying for the work included cutting back state spending in other places and having bottled water companies pay more for their use of the Great Lakes.
Public officials and area residents suggested Macomb County, which is home to five sewer flow outfalls, have already begun working on cutting back on wastewater entering the lake.
Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller pointed to construction outside the restaurant where the event took place as evidence of that work.
“You had a hard time getting here today. But I hope you really make sure that you do come to all these businesses here because everybody is really sort of sucking it up,” Miller said. “What’s happening here, we’re putting a big pipe down.”
Miller said there are already plans to remove chunks of a toxic algae species referred to as “muck” as part of a study. However, she expects it to grow back. Miller and other advocates for the lake’s health blame waste from Oakland County as a contributor to the problem.
Macomb County resident Mike Gutow runs a group called Save Lake St. Clair. He called it “massive” to hear James’ support.
“We have literally for decades not acknowledged there’s been a problem here at all. Everybody knows it’s happening but, hey, but how do you actually solve a problem? Acknowledge you actually have a problem. You acknowledge it, you can go after funding, you have funding, you make things happen, you put people to work, that’s how the world evolves,” Gutow said.
The policymakers said they want the state to take a bigger lead in addressing issues facing Michigan’s waterways and wetlands. Rather than expanding the size of government, however, the Republicans said they wanted to do it by being more efficient.
James’ running mate, Michigan Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Twp) gave the state’s management of phragmites, also known as the common reed, as an example. He argued the state wasn’t doing enough to prevent its takeover of marshes.
Meanwhile, DeBoyer said the state was overzealous when it comes to other environmental enforcement.
“How they treat someone who might run a driveway through an eighth of an acre wetland as opposed to letting our own state assets turn into a wasteland, to me, there’s a conflict there that doesn’t seem to jive,” DeBoyer said.
James and DeBoyer are facing Democratic nominee Jocelyn Benson and her running mate, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids).
Benson’s platform for improving the environment involves replacing aging pipelines and cracking down on polluters to protect our waters.
This story is part of a series previewing major local races in the 2026 midterm elections. Click here for more of WEMU's local election coverage.
Non-commercial, fact-based reporting is made possible by your financial support. Make your donation to WEMU today to keep your community NPR station thriving.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on X (Twitter).
Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org.
