“`html
Alliance of Great Lakes nonprofits, led by U-M graduate Laura Rubin, aids communities in preserving and restoring the environment while cultivating a new generation of sustainable enterprises
MUSKEGON, Michigan—Despite temperatures exceeding 80 degrees, Muskegon Lake mitigated any uncomfortable edges of the heat. A quick glance around the shoreline confirmed it was a perfect day for boating, fishing, cycling—anything that brought people close to the water.
Yet, approximately 50 individuals were present for reasons beyond mere recreation. The group wandered through a vibrant shoreline wetland that was once described by a restoration ecologist as “a showcase of invasive species.” As the participants absorbed the sights and sounds—the whispers of native beach grass and the calls of birds that had previously steered clear of this area—they were also acknowledging a remarkable transition they had a role in.
The tour included University of Michigan alumna Laura Rubin, who became the inaugural graduate of the Erb Institute’s master’s program in 1995, obtaining both an MBA and a Master of Science in natural resources. She currently serves as the director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition, which consists of nearly 200 distinct nonprofit organizations from the Great Lakes region united in their mission to conserve and restore the lakes’ ecosystems.
This collective effort has urged Congress to enact legislation that, since 2010, has allocated over $6 billion toward the stewardship of the Great Lakes basin. This funding has aided in the restoration of streams and habitats, decreased runoff, and kept invasive species from infiltrating the lakes, among other initiatives. Michigan has received over $1 billion of this amount, funding nearly 3,000 projects.
This means that the Great Lakes State offers the coalition abundant opportunities to help support events like this one on Muskegon Lake, located just inland from Lake Michigan. Organized by local groups, these tours remind stakeholders, including elected representatives, of their transformative potential when afforded sufficient resources.
Decades of funding have benefitted Muskegon Lake. In addition to being a haven for invasive species, the lakeshore location where the tour paused was formerly a literal dump, rendering it a regrettable reflection of the entire lake’s condition. Muskegon Lake had supported lumber mills, foundries, and factories for over a century at a significant cost to its health. It became so contaminated that, in 1987, it was designated as an AOC, or area of concern, by the United States and Canada under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
After over 15 years of effort, approximately $80 million in investments, and 20 successful restoration initiatives, Muskegon Lake is on the brink of officially removing the AOC designation. The group visiting the rejuvenated areas represented the community members, business associates, government officials, and other stakeholders who facilitated this progress, ushering in a new chapter in the city’s history with the lake remaining central to its identity.
“It’s incredibly vital to have a thriving and healthy Muskegon Lake for our community,” remarked Muskegon Mayor Ken Johnson. “Cleaning up and restoring Muskegon Lake now paves the way for new development patterns and access. Fundamentally, it becomes something our community can engage with and appreciate. Yet, additionally, it can continue to serve as our economic driving force.”
Johnson and community leaders are striving to cultivate a sustainable “blue economy” driven by the lake. It’s an active working port, not just for shipping, but also for cruise lines. A clean and thriving lake further encourages tourism, boating, and fishing. Muskegon’s downtown area is…
“`also witnessing a revival, which local administrators attribute to the lake’s rejuvenation.
“It generates immense value in numerous ways,” Johnson remarked. “Culturally, recreationally, economically, and for many, spiritually.”
A 2020 research from Grand Valley State University estimated that the shoreline restoration of the lake enhanced Muskegon property values by nearly $8 million and contributes about $28 million annually in recreational advantages.
The cleanup of the lake commenced as grassroots initiatives led by local leaders and community members, starting long before the lake was recognized as an area of concern, Johnson noted. However, these initiatives were hindered by insufficient funding, expertise, and resources required to adequately reverse the industrial harm that dated back to the late 1800s.
But that is where individuals like Laura Rubin come in.
Restoring our waters
In the early 2000s, advocates for the Great Lakes witnessed the Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades receive significant federal funding for conservation and restoration.
“Yet the Great Lakes were receiving none,” Rubin lamented. “When we engaged with the administration and Congress members, they stated, ‘There’s no cohesive voice from the region, and there’s no evident need from the area.’”
This led them to establish the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition to deliver that unified voice and pinpoint the region’s most pressing needs. The coalition successfully advocated for the enactment of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative—a bipartisan measure that has allocated over $300 million yearly for ecosystem enhancement endeavors throughout the region.
Communities surrounding the Great Lakes have initiated more than 8,000 projects with the initiative’s backing, which is federally managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with 15 other agencies.
The U-M Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics, delivering economic forecasts and models since 1952, redirected its analytical expertise to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative in 2018. It found that for every dollar invested between 2010 and 2016, the GLRI would yield a $3.35 return on investment through 2036. During that period, the GLRI also generated or supported more than 5,000 jobs each year, raising income across the Great Lakes region by $250 million annually, according to the study.
“We adopted a conservative methodology in assessing the regional economic repercussions of the GLRI,” the authors of the study stated. “We believe our projections likely underestimate the program’s actual effects.”
In Muskegon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Great Lakes Commission collaborated with the Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership and the local public advisory council to allocate GLRI assets. The GLC is a regional custodian of the lakes established by eight states and two Canadian provinces.
Approximately $25 million of the $80 million invested in Muskegon Lake originated from the GLRI. This funding revitalized natural habitats along a shoreline that had been reinforced with steel, cement, and concrete. It financed the labor and resources needed to extract hundreds of thousands of tons of fill, sediment, and debris from the water, some of which contained hazardous substances such as lead and mercury.
“We’re no longer a smelly foundry town,” proclaimed longtime Muskegon resident Dave Alexander during a case study that accompanied the 2018 GLRI economic report. “We are a community with industry, alongside commercial, residential, and recreational applications of our waterfront, all functioning in harmony rather than conflict as they might have in the past.”
This feeling persists today.
“We wouldn’t have achieved this without Healing Our Waters and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, along with all the partnerships we’ve built with federal, state, and local governments,” remarked Erin Kuhn, the executive director of the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission, which oversaw Muskegon Lake’s restoration projects and caters to 120 local governments along Michigan’s Lake Michigan shoreline.
The development commission also coordinated and organized the Muskegon Lake tour. While the event honored past achievements, community leaders were perhaps more eager to discuss future possibilities.
Even during quick chats between locations, it was evident that they took pride in how Muskegon’s industrial heritage had been pivotal in shaping the state and the nation. Yet, they were also enthusiastically anticipating what could be accomplished next—no longer defined by the environmental repercussions of that history.
“We’ve reached a stage where we can turn the page, and being part of that is incredibly thrilling,” Kuhn expressed. “We now have the ability to shape the future of Muskegon County.”
‘Constructive tension’
Without context, the ongoing federal backing of the GLRI may appear perplexing. After all, leadership in the country’s top office has shifted between political affiliations three times since the legislation was initially enacted. However, anyone from the locality understands that the Great Lakes are natural marvels that rise above politics.
“Everyone treasures the Great Lakes. It’s a common ground. This lake belongs to everyone—so it’s up to all of us to protect it,” remarked Republican Don Brown, deputy public works commissioner for Macomb County, during the evening boat excursion around Muskegon Lake that wrapped up the restoration tour event.
Democrats shared the same sentiment, both literally and metaphorically. Peter Dickow mentioned that safeguarding the Great Lakes has consistently been a focus not only for his superior, Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, but also for fellow congressional members from the Great Lakes region.
“The Great Lakes caucus is quite bipartisan and collegial,” noted Dickow, West Michigan director for the senator’s office. “They acknowledge that we possess something remarkable here, and we’re not going to jeopardize it. It’s too vital.”
Rubin recognizes she’s privileged to guide a coalition that has advocates from both political parties and diverse backgrounds. However, this doesn’t render her role uncomplicated. For one, not every one of the nearly 200 organizations represented by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition will see eye-to-eye on every specific issue.
“One distinctive aspect of the coalition is that with as many member organizations as we have, unanimity on every topic is unrealistic. That’s not my responsibility,” Rubin stated. “My role is to ensure everyone stays focused on protecting and restoring the Great Lakes.”
Influence of U-M education
This is one of the domains where Rubin asserts her U-M education has provided significant assistance. At the Erb Institute, students receive training and guidance from lecturers at the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability.
The collaborative nature of the program improved her capabilities across various domains, particularly in understanding and engaging with differing perspectives. In fact, while she was a student, the notion of merging her disciplines was so novel that some of her business school peers viewed her as a hippie, while her environmental classmates labeled her a sell-out.
Although those views have matured, her experiences, supplemented by support from her faculty mentors, reinforced that success doesn’t hinge on collective agreement.
“I’m creating a large space for individuals to gather and discuss their aspirations, their missions, and to foster healthy debate,” Rubin expressed. “Not everyone may agree that water infrastructure is paramount or that fish habitat tops the list. Yet, we all recognize that we are ultimately progressing in the right direction.”
Naturally, the Erb experience also afforded other invaluable opportunities. It opened pathways to gain practical experience in ecological fieldwork, comprehending economic issues that resonate with legislators and voters alike, and understanding how successful nonprofits function.
For this reason, Rubin feels equipped to engage with any stakeholder—whether from a coalition partner, congressional representative, or a technical collaborator. During the boat tour alone, attendees included representatives from NOAA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and the Annis Water Resources Institute at Grand Valley State University.
While they all align with the mission of restoring and protecting the Great Lakes, they acknowledge their work remains incomplete. More than 20 areas of concern still exist in the Great Lakes region at a time when the federal budget forecast is more uncertain than it has ever been.
Even though the administration is retracting environmental protections, bipartisan factions in both chambers of Congress have indicated sustained support for the GLRI.
“`