Happy World Water Day!
LAST CHANCE! Spring Project Grants are Open Until March 30th!
The March 30th deadline for Freshwater Future’s Spring Project Grants is fast approaching! These grants provide financial support for community groups working to promote drinking water, river, lake, shoreline, wetland, and groundwater protection in the Great Lakes Basin through grassroots advocacy efforts. Interested in applying? Call Freshwater Future staff to share more about your idea before submitting a project grant proposal. Contact Laurie Breighner, laurie@freshwaterfuture.org or (231)348-8200 ext. 1, to check your eligibility, help with your application, or to ask questions. You can learn more about our Spring Project Grants here.
Federal Judge Finds City of Flint, MI in Contempt Over Slow Lead Line Replacement
Last week, a U.S. District Judge found the City of Flint in contempt of court after failing to meet the 2020 deadline to replace lead water lines. Thirty homes are awaiting lead line replacements. In addition, nearly 2,000 residents are waiting for repairs to damaged curbs, sidewalks, and driveways from pipe replacement. Freshwater Future is thankful for this ruling, but adamant that lead service lines be removed and property restored as quickly as possible.
Freshwater Future Participates in March Madness with the Grand Rapids Gold Basketball Team on March 30th
Freshwater Future will have a presence at the Grand Rapids Gold, an NBA G-league basketball team’s final game of the season, March 30th at 7 pm at Van Andel Arena. The team will wear jerseys with the Freshwater Future logo and jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds going to Freshwater Future. The Jersey Auction will take place online via Dash starting next week and will run through April 3rd. If you live in the area, please join us at this fun event. Stay tuned to our social media for links to the auction site! Thanks to our partner Founders, the official Craft beer of the Grand Rapids Gold for including us in this opportunity.
Join Us at the Great Lakes Harmful Algae Conference – Registration is Open!
Harmful algal blooms are increasing across the Great Lakes region, causing health impacts from breathing in the toxins or touching the impacted waters, and in some cases having shut down water systems completely. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations’ (CAFOs) manure is a leading contributor to the excess nutrients causing these blooms. You’re invited to join Lake Erie Waterkeeper and Freshwater Future to network on this issue, learn from experts, see CAFOs and more at this conference in Toledo, OH, May 1-2, 2024. Virtual attendance is also available. Please join us to learn more from experts and network with Great Lakes advocates on this important issue – register by April 8th and find out more here!
Event Schedule:
Bus Tour – Wednesday, May 1, 2 pm ET
Dinner Boat Cruise – Wednesday, May 1, 5 pm ET
Conference – Wednesday, May 2, 8:30 am – 3 pm ET
Another Week of the Bad River Documentary Showing Across the Great Lakes!
Bad River, a new film, follows the Wisconsin-based Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and their fight against a 70-year-old pipeline traversing Tribal Lands. Fifty percent of proceeds go to the Bad River Band! Find showings across the region here.
