Michigan Governor and Tribes Protect Great Lakes

LANSING, Michigan, May 14, 2004 (ENS) - Governor Jennifer Granholm and the leaders of the 12 federally acknowledged Indian tribes in Michigan have signed an intergovernmental accord stating their commitment to the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of the Great Lakes ecosystem. Michigan touches four of the five Great Lakes.

The pledge, signed Wednesday, commits the state and tribal governments to work together to clean up the pollutants now present in the waters, eliminate exotic species, maintain and preserve diverse water resource habitats, and prevent future contaminants, exotics, and depletion of the waters.

“Native Americans in Michigan are the state’s original environmentalists, and collectively, they have an unparalleled appreciation for our natural resources,” Granholm said.

“There is no single resource more important to the future of our state than the water that defines it, and I am pleased that the 12 Indian tribes in Michigan are working with us to ensure that our water remains a valuable resource for generations to come," the governor said.

As a result of the accord, the Governor’s representatives and those of the tribal leaders will meet twice a year to review the quantity and quality of our water resources and develop strategies for protecting them.

Those strategies will include recommendations for state, federal, and tribal legislation and international treaties; coordination of permitting activities; and cooperation enforcement of water protection laws.

The tribal summit fulfills a commitment signed in December 2002 for annual meetings between the governor and the tribal chairs of Michigan’s 12 recognized Indian tribes, and Granholm has pledged to honor the accord and issued an updated executive directive to support it.

The executive directive outlines fundamental principles regarding the federally acknowledged Indian tribes, including that the tribes are sovereign governmental entities, possess authority to exercise jurisdiction over their respective lands and citizens, and possess the right to self-governance.

“Continually improving communications and understanding between our state and the 12 nations will serve us well in the years to come,” Granholm said.

“Just as we have formalized relationships with our neighboring states and the federal government, so, too, is it imperative that we have a formal relationship with the tribal communities in Michigan who are an important part of our history, our culture, and our future.”

Accord signers include: Jeffrey Parker, president, Bay Mills Indian Community; Robert Kewaygoshkum, tribal chairman, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indian; Kenneth Meshigaud, tribal chairman, Hannahville Indian Community; William Emery, tribal council president, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community; Richard McGeshick, Sr., tribal chairman, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians; Lee Sprague, Ogema, Little River Band of Ottawa Indians; Frank Ettawageshik, tribal chairman, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians; David Sprague, tribal chairman, Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians; Laura Spurr, tribal chairman, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians; John Miller, tribal chairman, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians; Audrey Falcon, tribal chief, Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe of Michigan; and, Bernard Bouschor, tribal chairman, Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians.