An Environmental Governor
Andrew Norton
April 22, 2006, is Earth Day. A day to focus on ways to better the environment. In honor of this day, I thought I would mention former Michigan Governor, William Milliken, a pioneer in taking care of Michigan's natural beauty. I did not know it, but it was Gov. Milliken who campaigned for the $.10 bottle deposit law. Evidently, Milliken was disgusted with the amount of garbage along our state highways and wanted to do something to keep our state clean.
In addition to the deposit law, Milliken also saw the Michigan Environmental Protection Act in 1970, the Wetlands Act of 1979 and the Natural Resource Trust Fund come to fruition during his tenure.
Thanks to Milliken, our state is probably a lot cleaner than it might have been had we not passed those laws to help preserve Michigan's natural beauty and resources.
Read more about former Governor Milliken at the Traverse City Record Eagle.