There’s been some Republican grumbling about Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s move on Monday to restructure the beleaguered Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), but a key GOP official has her back.
Candice Miller, a former congresswoman who now oversees environmental and water issues for Macomb County as public works commissioner, praised Whitmer for her new Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), Politics Central reported. Miller said she “applauded” the Democratic governor for shifting the Office of the Great Lakes into EGLE.
“This sends a clear message on the importance that the governor’s office places on our most treasured asset,” Miller said. “The Great Lakes are more than just a defining attribute of Michigan, they are the world’s largest source of fresh water, a critical ecosphere, a foundation for economic activity and great place for family recreation.”
Miller added that her office “looks forward to working alongside the new [EGLE] on water quality issues.”
She didn’t mention Whitmer’s executive directive adding Michigan into the U.S. Climate Alliance, a coalition of 19 other governors, mostly Democrats, who voluntarily agreed to cut their state’s greenhouse gas emissions to levels consistent with the 2016 Paris Climate Accords.
Macomb County has had its share of environmental issues, including a sinkhole in Fraser that cost $75 million to repair. Last year, the county had to deal with a “fatberg,” a collection of fats, oils and grease that clog sewer pipes when combined with solid items like baby wipes. The mass was 100 feet long, 11 feet wide and as much as 6 feet tall, WDIV-TV reported.
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