State AG Database – Michigan

The following is a list of major actions taken by the Michigan Attorney General to ensure that environmental laws are fully implemented and enforced:

• Lawsuits v. Federal Government

• Lawsuits v. Other Public Entities

• Lawsuits v. Private Actors

• Criminal Cases

• Administrative Proceedings

• Other Interventions

Lawsuits v. Federal Government

Michigan v. United States Army Corps of Engineers (2014): Suit to compel the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to take action to prevent Asian carp from crossing from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes.

New Jersey et al. v. EPA (D.C. Cir. 2008): Multi-state challenge the EPA’s decision to migrate mercury regulations from section 112 to section 111 of the Clean Air Act.

Lawsuits v. Other Public Entities

Flint Water Crisis Investigation (2016): Michigan AG launched investigation to determine criminal and civil liability for violations of state law that caused or contributed to the Flint Water Crisis.

Michigan v. United States Army Corps of Engineers (2014): Suit to compel the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to take action to prevent Asian carp from crossing from the Mississippi River Basin into the Great Lakes.

Lawsuits v. Private Actors

Settlement with Volkswagen for Emissions Defeat Devices (2016): Settlement of consumer protection claims raised by a multi-state coalition of state attorneys general against Volkswagen for selling vehicles equipped with “defeat device” software intended to circumvent emissions standards and concealing this software from regulators and the public.

Flint Water Crisis Investigation (2016): Michigan AG launched investigation to determine criminal and civil liability for violations of state law that caused or contributed to the Flint Water Crisis.

Kalamazoo River Oil Spill (2015): Enforcement action against Enbridge Energy in response to their actions which caused over 1 million gallons of heavy crude oil to spill into the Kalamazoo River.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality v. Michigan Waste Energy, Inc. and Detroit Renewable Power, LLC, No 1184CE (2014): Enforcement action against waste management companies to reduce foul odor emanating from the United States’ largest waste incineration facility.

Criminal Cases

Flint Water Crisis Investigation (2016): Michigan AG launched investigation to determine criminal and civil liability for violations of state law that caused or contributed to the Flint Water Crisis.

Administrative Proceedings

Opposition to St. Clair River Pipelines (2016): Michigan AG submitted letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to deny the permit application for the St. Clair River oil pipelines.

Other Interventions

Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Task Force (2014): Michigan AG convened the Michigan Petroleum Pipeline Task Force to investigate the safety of the Straits pipelines and other pipelines in the state.