letter to governor whitmer: use vacant industrial sites

​​Dear Governor Whitmer:
I am writing to urge you to stop the proposal to turn 1900 acres of beautiful,  lush Michigan agricultural land covered with historic farmsteads into an industrial megasite in Marshall, MI. Please do your utmost to protect Michigan’s natural resources, which provide food, water and clean air to our residents. This land should instead be used to build a state park recreational area for everyone to enjoy.

Industry should be located in the many vacant industrial areas within Michigan. There is no good reason to destroy small family farms and a whole way of life.  Please use the power granted you by your constituents to protect our valuable farmland and keep it in the hands of local residents.
Michigan has the water and rich fertile farmland needed to grow food not only for our state, but for the whole country. Our state is poised to take over as a leading agricultural power in the U.S. because agricultural states such as California no longer have the water needed for agriculture. 

It’s easy to turn beautiful farmland into an industrial megasite, but it is very difficult to turn an industrial site into rich farmland. For example, the huge industrial lot right across the street from Lansing Sexton High School, Where I taught for 18 years, remains vacant since 2005. This former Fisher Body Plant site is heavily contaminated with PFAS and 1,4-dioxane, a flammable liquid that is likely carcinogenic to humans. Contaminants will remain for many years to come, so the area water must be routinely monitored.

You have been a great protector of our environment and I urge you to continue to do so. I am not against industry per se, and in fact grew up in Flint, MI amid numerous factories. Let’s keep the factories on industrial sites, and keep the farms on the farmlands. Thank you for taking the time to read my plea.
Sincerely,
A Michigan Farm Owner