Gary Peters, Senator Debbie Stabenow Highlight Need to Protect Michigan's Great Lakes on "Great Lakes Jobs Tour"

Press Release

Gary traveled across Michigan this week with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow on the "Great Lakes Jobs Tour" leg of Gary's "Michigan First Listening Tour." At stops in Detroit, Bay City, Traverse City, Muskegon and Lansing, Gary and Senator Stabenow visited with small businesses and families, showcasing the importance of protecting Michigan's Great Lakes as a vital part of Michigan's economy. Gary kicked off the tour Tuesday with stops in Battle Creek and Ann Arbor.

Gary said: "It was great to hear from Michigan small businesses and middle class families and see firsthand just how important the Great Lakes are to our state. Michigan's Great Lakes support thousands of good-paying jobs and play an essential role in our economy. As Michigan's next Senator, I will keep fighting so that we can protect the Great Lakes and ensure economic security for future generations."

Senator Stabenow said: "Gary fights every day to protect our Great Lakes, which are critical to Michigan's economy, support thousands of jobs, and are part of our Michigan way of life. Gary stood up for Michigan families when he took on the Koch Brothers, who were polluting Detroit with their petroleum coke waste, and he won. I need Gary Peters as my partner in the U.S. Senate, because he is willing to stand up for the values and priorities that are right for Michigan."

Gary has always been an outspoken champion for Michigan's Great Lakes. Ever since Gary led the fight to ban drilling in the Great Lakes as a State Senator in 2002, he has worked with both Republicans and Democrats to protect the Great Lakes and help grow the economy. Most recently, Gary helped take on the Koch Brothers who were illegally piling their petroleum byproduct along the Detroit River, contaminating homes, businesses and the Great Lakes watershed. In the U.S. Senate, Gary will continue to fight to protect the Great Lakes from pollution and invasive species like Asian carp.

Senator Stabenow, vice chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, has made protecting our Great Lakes for future generations a top priority. She authored the federal ban on oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes and wrote the bipartisan Stop Invasive Species Act to expedite an action plan to stop the spread of invasive species like Asian carp. As Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Stabenow's 2014 Farm Bill created an historic new regional conservation partnership program- one of our country's most significant investments in land, water, and wildlife conservation. Senator Stabenow also authored the Michigan Lighthouse and Maritime Heritage Act to help restore lighthouses in Michigan and promote the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes.

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