To the Journal editor:

Michigan waterways often serve as the beautiful backdrop for our collective memories. No matter how turbulent the climate – political, environmental, or otherwise – Michiganders unite in our love for the lakes and streams that abound us. But what do we do when they are under threat?

Since the 1960s, the Great Lakes and inland waterways have been experiencing an increased growth of blue-green algae called cyanobacteria. While the occurrence of some algae-causing nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in waterways is natural, the levels are steadily increasing. When levels are dangerously high, our beautiful blue backdrop turns a putrid bright green. However, harmful algal blooms (HABs) are much more than a threat to aquatic aesthetics. These blooms have an impact on lake ecosystems, local economies, and human health. By blocking light for photosynthesis, blooms affect aquatic vegetation and the species that rely on it for food. In humans, drinking contaminated water causes gastrointestinal distress and potential organ damage. Discolored and foul-smelling water denies anglers, business owners, and locals alike access to our shared refuge.

The increasingly turbulent climate, in concert with human activity, has exacerbated the frequency, prevalence, and toxicity of algal blooms in Michigan waterways. When nutrient-dense runoff pollution from population centers and industrial agriculture interacts with higher lake temperatures, an uncontrollable growth of cyanobacteria results in harmful blooms. Scientists report that reducing pollution will significantly reduce toxic algae and improve lake health. However, addressing the problems associated with algal blooms requires cooperation and coordination between all parties.

Federal agencies have taken action to identify and regulate the causes of HAB events. In 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency published final water quality criteria for two water toxins identified in HABs. The utilization of EPA standards to draft water quality criteria in Michigan would serve to reduce HAB impact on human health by setting standards for public water advisories, but stops short of protecting waterways and eliminating the underlying toxic problem.

To solve the issue of HABs, Michigan must take bold steps towards the reduction of point and nonpoint pollution in our waterways. Policy action regarding the root causes of HABs includes setting numeric permit limits for singular pollution sources, which are then enforceable by regulatory agencies. On a larger scale, diffuse contamination that ends up in Michigan watersheds requires concerted efforts between local governments, industries, farmers, and community members.

We can take inspiration for these actions from the ongoing pro-climate efforts of other state and national government initiatives. In the Milwaukee area, the Metropolitan Sewerage District has implemented programs which incentivize farmers through grants for alternative and no-till farming practices. Local and state agencies, along with non-profit organizations, have also teamed up in Milwaukee County to install urban runoff capture treatment systems. By providing wetland buffers, the city protects its waterways from runoff produced by surrounding rural farmlands. The imminent importance of addressing nonpoint pollution sources is further addressed by Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, which makes grants and funding available to states that implement state-run pollution management programs. The state of Michigan should take advantage of all resources available, not only in managing existing sources of pollution and runoff but rejecting new ones. Robust policies that incentivize waterway protection and limit pollution are often billed lofty and expensive, when in reality, they are simply an investment back into our greatest resource.

Voluntary participation in local efforts to prevent pollution and protect Michigan waterways is not enough. If not simply to preserve the beautiful blue, fresh-water hue of our favorite lakes, combatting HABs also protects the health, environment, and economy of our providence. The state of Michigan, in conjunction with the federal government, has a responsibility to innovate, regulate, and lead communities into a future that looks like our most treasured memories.