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> Home > About Us > Chapter Awards Chapter AwardsMichigan Chapter Group and Chapter members are asked each year to submit names of individuals or institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the work of protecting Michigan's environment. The Michigan Chapter Executive Committee reviews and selects the winners and each fall, during the Michigan Chapter's Annual Retreat, award winners are announced by the Awards Committee Chair. See a partial list of the 2011 Award winners below (additional awards will be announced later in the year). See a complete list of past award winners here.2011 Award WinnersEnvironmentalist of the Year: Jennifer GranholmAs Michigan Governor from 2003 through 2010 Jennifer Granholm led the state in a campaign for expanded clean In 2009, Granholm became the first and only Governor in the nation to direct her environmental agency to consider alternatives to and determine the need for any proposed coal fired power plant before deciding whether to issue a Clean Air Act permit to that utility. Ultimately, her bold leadership laid the groundwork for the state to deny permits to two proposed coal plants after state utility analysts found that clean energy and efficiency can meet our state's future electricity needs. Governor Granholm continues to advocate for clean energy nationwide through her association with Pew Charitable Trusts and promises to continue to raise these critical issues in her new role as host of "The War Room" on Current TV, starting in January. Bunyan Bryant Award: Lee Sprague Lee Sprague has been an extraordinary force for bringing environmental justice issues to light for the Indian tribes of Michigan and the Great Lakes region, particularly in relationship to proposed coal plants in the state. Lee has used every tool, from extensive research, to organizing and negotiations, both within the tribal communities and with US EPA and the state of Michigan, to promote and advocate for the rights of Michigan’s tribal members to live free of the pollution caused by coal plants. In particular, Lee has untiringly pressed for the state and federal agencies to rectify their failure to fully account for the disproportionate impact of mercury emissions on those who are subsistence fishermen and women within the tribes, who consume much more fish and thus much more mercury than the “average” used by the agencies.Sylvania Award: Kay CumbowKay is a member of the Bluewater Conservation Committee which hosts monthly environmental programs. She is past chair and current board member of Citizens Against Chemical Contamination. She was the chief organizer of the Nuclear Forum held in 2011. Kay also contributes to SEMG’s newsletter, the Activist. White Pine Award: Anglers of the Au Sable
Cyber Punk Award: M’Lynn HartwellM’Lynn volunteered an enormous amount of time and skill in developing and maintaining a website for the Clean Energy Now coalition, a key piece of the fight to stop construction of new coal plants in Michigan. M’Lynn’s passion for the environment has led her to be involved in many issues, including the fight against biomass plants in and around Traverse City. She went above and beyond the call of duty in giving the diverse array of organizations coalesced around the Clean Energy Now banner a single place to post information and alerts for action on the coal fight.Chair’s Award: Gayle Miller
Vince Smith Award: Roger BlanchardRoger has spent many years leading service outings on the North Country Trail. He plans and leads all Three Lakes Group (TLG) outings. Roger plans and does publicity for the 5 or 6 public programs the TLG sponsors each year. He writes, puts together, and sends out the TLG newsletter. He was responsible for gathering information for and composing the Frontier Fact Sheet. When something needs to be done and there is no one to do it, Roger does it. He currently serves as Group Chair and Outings Chair.On-line Journalism: Progress Michigan
Burton Barnes Award: Dr. Murray BorrelloDr. Borrello has taken his concern for the environment in the Alma area out of the classroom in several particularly impressive ways. Murray is a founding leader of the Citizen’s Advisory Group associated with the cleanup of the Velsicol Chemical Superfund site on the Pine River at St. Louis and the contamination from the now closed Total Petroleum Oil Refinery in Alma, and has been their Technical Committee Chair for many years. He has played an important role in fostering citizen engagement and advocating for the research needed to assure a complete cleanup of these and other sites. In addition, Murray has taken a real interest in CAFO pollution issues in Gratiot and surrounding counties, and with his students completed important studies of the contamination of waterways near CAFOs. One important conclusion his study reached was that even without direct spills or discharges into waterways, these operations are contributing dangerous contaminants. The work done by Murray and his students has shown that the microscopic communities of diatoms, algaes, and other tiny aquatic species are affected by CAFO pollution, such that their presence or absence may help to identify where streams have been contaminated specifically by CAFOs. Most recently, their work has begun to center on air quality problems that may be associated with CAFOs, such as airborne bacteria that can cause respiratory and lung disease. Their work may well revolutionize the way that CAFOs are regulated,in the coming years. Cougar Award: MSU Beyond Coal Campaign
Neppessing Group Service Award: Richard NaborRichard has stepped in and up as treasurer; he keeps us informed regarding Audubon activities and for some time he has also led hikes and supports our fundraising and outreach activities.
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energy policy and investment to move Michigan's economy toward a sustainable future. Ultimately Granholm's efforts secured more than $10 billion of investment in the clean energy industry in Michigan, providing a bright spot for the state's economic recovery. Under Granholm's leadership, Michigan adopted renewable energy and efficiency requirements that are already demonstrating the benefit to utility customers and the environment. 
The Anglers of the Au Sable and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter have had an effective and synergistic relationship on a series of common issues of concern. The collaboration started with the successful collaboration to block drilling for oil and gas under the beloved Mason Tract. While the threat continues to Mason Tract, that initial experience beautifully demonstrated how much we could do if we worked together. That work includes protection of water quality, working to stop mercury emissions and efforts to assure that Michigan protects our rivers and lakes from the dangers of fracking for natural gas.
As a valued member of the Michigan Chapter staff for seven years, Gayle worked tirelessly with the Chapter Political Committee and Legislative Committee. She initiated Lobby Day which was held twice a year for most of her tenure. For each Lobby Day, 70 – 100 volunteers were trained on specific environmental issues which they then explained to legislators. Her skill and dedication greatly expanded the effectiveness of the Sierra Club and garnered wide respect for the Chapter.
As the Media Hub for the progressive community in Michigan, Progress Michigan has been an extraordinary asset to Sierra Club in getting our message out in all media, in particularly on-line. Progress Michigan has been critical at developing and implementing media strategies for the Michigan Clean Energy Now/Beyond Coal campaign, and has been instrumental in training of volunteers and staff in this effort as well. In addition to acting as the press office for the beyond coal efforts, Progress Michigan maintains its own, very rich on-line, twitter, etc., array of information and activists tools. The staff has been critical to linking the efforts of on-line to activism as well.
The student leaders of the MSU Beyond Coal campaign have made tremendous strides in in moving the university to clean energy. MSU has the largest campus coal plant in the country, and the MSU Beyond Coal groups have held educational events, rallies and meetings with top university officials. MSU Beyond Coal group improved environmental requirements regarding the storage of coal on site of the coal plant as a result of a effective engagement in a permit renewal process for the plant. In 2011, a campus energy planning process has begun and MSU Beyond Coal not only played a role in getting this going, they are represented on the committee and are organizing student, faculty and alumni engagement in this critical process. The group is also coordinating efforts with the Lansing Can Do Better coalition to advocate for a common plan for dealing with both MSU’s and Lansing Board of Water and Light’s coal plants.