title:  MI Gov Rick Snyder Appoints Former Oil Lobbyist To Protect MI’s Environment
text: Michigan s Republican governor Rick Snyder has just appointed a new head of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Snyder s new corporate shill, Heidi Grether, is a former executive for BP. Grether also worked as a registered lobbyist for BP America in Michigan for seven years. After her time spent lobbying for big oil, Grether became the Deputy Director of the MDEQ.The former DEQ director, Dan Wyant, resigned from his position after the Flint water crisis. Grether has been working as the interim director for the MDEQ since Wyant s resignation. Heidi has decades of experience in environmental quality issues, and has effectively served during times of crises and recovery,  Snyder said in a statement.  Her expertise in delivering good customer service from a large organization will be of great value as we continue working to reinvent the department and act more proactively to address issues that arise. The Snyder administration is already facing a huge backlash to the decision from environmental groups. Lisa Wozniak, Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters sent Snyder a letter informs them of their positions on major environmental concerns in the region. Our coalition articulated that this critically important agency is in need of someone who has the background and experience to be a strong advocate for the health of our communities and our environment. Today s announcement seems to fly in the face of that vision,  Wozniak said.Democrats are incredulous over Snyder s decision. Brandon Dillon, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said Snyder  has again shown he is completely out of touch with the people of this state and the problems they face. Flint is still reeling from the worst man-made environmental disaster in Michigan s history, yet Rick Snyder decides to tap a former BP executive   one of the worst polluters in the world   to lead our state s Departmental of Environmental Quality?  Dillon went on to ask.Because of Grether s almost decade long career of lobbying for the oil industry, she is already being asked to recuse herself from making judgments on one of the biggest decisions Michigan has to make in the near future. There is an oil pipeline that is located at the bottom of the Mackinac Straights, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. The pipeline is very old and if it breaks down would create one of the worst if not the worst environmental disaster in human history. It would contaminate the world s largest freshwater supply and be economically devasting to the United States and Canada.It s appalling, though not surprising that Snyder would pull a move like this. The Snyder administration has done nothing but eroded democracy in Michigan, while at the same time, becoming globally infamous for their failures to prevent the Flint water crisis.Featured image via Bill Pugliano/Getty Images