Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Joseph L. Sax was a Professor of law at the University of Michigan from 1966-1989. Collection includes material relating to the passage of the Michigan Environmental Protection Act of 1970, materials from his career as a legal consultant on environmental issues, course syllabi, lectures, research materials, and manuscripts of published materials.

The Joseph L. Sax papers comprise a comprehensive collection of legislative history and documentation on the enactment of the "Thomas J. Anderson, Gordon Rockwell Environmental Protection Act of 1970" (MEPA). MEPA was originally drafted by Professor Joseph L. Sax of the University of Michigan Law School and was one of the first projects undertaken by the Law School's Environmental Law Society.

The papers collected herein should be useful to several groups. Students of the environmental movement have herein a rich source of information on the early activities of the movement in Michigan and the philosophies behind various-approaches to environmental control. Lawyers interested in the legislative history of the MEPA will find an extensive collection of documents tracing the bill's movement through a number of committees of the Michigan House and Senate. Arguments about many of the issues that continue to be raised in MEPA litigation are presented in full detail in materials in these files. Students of government and political science may discover documentation of value in studies of interest group politics and the legislative process. Other uses, not imagined by those who assembled this collection, no doubt will be made.

The project was motivated in part by requests made of Professor Sax and others by lawyers, historians, and legislators in the United States and abroad about the background of the Michigan Act. Professor Sax feared that the documents that he had collected, many of which are unique and irreplaceable, might begin to be scattered and/or deteriorate. Later, it was decided to supplement Sax's papers by assembling all available documentation in the state on the Michigan Environmental Protection Act. Materials in this collection trace the history of the Act from the first correspondence between the West Michigan Environmental Action Council and Professor Sax requesting that he draft a model environmental law, through the passage of the law by the Michigan Legislature and its signing by Governor Milliken on July 27th, 1970. The collection also contains post-enactment materials, including attempts to amend the bill, through April 1976. Plans are underway to add to the collection all relevant legislative and judicial documents relating to the law, its interpretation and amendment.

Highlights of the collection include the following: the original correspondence between Professor Sax and Mrs. Joan Wolfe relating to the idea for the drafting of a model environmental law in Michigan; correspondence on MEPA from the files of Representative Thomas Anderson in which he indicates his early hopes for and concerns over the Act and his strategy for shepherding the bill through the Michigan Legislature; various versions and drafts of the bill; analyses of the bill by the Governor's office and state agencies; and testimony delivered at public hearings on the bill. Also in the collection is a tape of the Senate Debate on the bill. (A complete listing of materials in the collection is found at the end of this document.)

Several sources contributed to this collection. The great majority of the material comes from the papers of Professor Joseph L. Sax on the passage of the Act and attempts to amend it. In addition, papers of Mrs. Joan Wolfe (who also has another collection in the Bentley Historical Library) were solicited and added. These include communications of the West Michigan Environmental Action Council at various points in the legislative consideration of the Act. Attorney General Frank Kelley indicated in a reply to a request for MEPA materials that most of the relevant documentation of the Department of the Attorney General on the Act had already been forwarded (courtesy copies) to Professor Sax. Requests were also made of the Executive office of the Governor, the Secretary of the Michigan Senate, and the West Michigan Environmental Action Council; any contributions from them will be added to the files when received.

An important supplemental source of information on the Act was found in Representative Thomas J. Anderson's papers on the MEPA in the State Archives of the Michigan History Division, Michigan Department of State: Personal papers, Thomas J. Anderson, [74-22, Accession boxes 403, 404, 405(B)]. Other materials from the State Archives were reviewed to insure that the MEPA Collection would be complete for legislative history and research on the State's environmental movement. Of relevance were House of Representatives, Standing Committees' Public Hearings, 1969-1973, [RG79-37, Lot 43, Box 1.) and House Committee, 1969-70, Conservation and Recreation [72-34, Lot 21, Box 4 and Box 51.

The State Archives material was not duplicated in total for this collection. Rather, those materials which record a significant event in the movement of the bill through the Michigan Legislature or highlight an important position on the bill by an interest group or governmental entity were reproduced for inclusion here.[7]Representative Anderson, who was the prime legislative mover in the passage of MEPA, received over 8000 letters or petitions about H.B. 3055. Many of these are included in his papers and are not found herein. Our efforts aimed to add to the Bentley Collection documentation from the Archives that would be of major interest to legal and history scholars.

[Archive material is noted in the files by a penciled asterisk (*) on the upper right hand corner of the document.]

Archive materials relating to MEPA after its passage were not searched for this study; there are several folders of post enactment materials and other relevant files in the Archives (e.g. 74-22 B405 FL "Newsclippings relating to H.B. 305511).

In 1982, the library received additional materials regarding the Michigan Environmental Protection Act. This new material collected by Professor Joseph Sax largely concerns similar kinds of legislation enacted in other states. Included are correspondence and legislative materials

In 1986, the library received an additional 13 feet of material, mainly case files detailing litigation arising out of the Act. The most important of these cases was perhaps the so-called Pigeon River case (West Michigan, Environmental Action Council v. Natural Resources Commission).

In 2014, the library received an additional 16 feet of material. This addition is organized into four series: Case Files, Teaching Materials, Travels and Lectures, and Publications and Research. Each series is further arranged in chronological order by year. Additional material related to this accession has been added to the Correspondence and Related Materials series, which includes correspondence from 1986-1998, a diary from a 1979 visit to Japan, and a copy of the finding aid from the American Heritage Center's Joseph L. Sax papers.

Lana Pollack served as state senator for Michigan's Eighteenth District from 1982 to 1994. The collection documents her legislative and political activities and include subject files, campaign materials, and audio-visual materials.

The Lana Pollack collection documents diverse aspects of Pollack's legislative and political activities. The papers have been divided into seven series: Ann Arbor Board of Education; Michigan Senate; Campaigns; Photographs; Audiotapes; Videotapes; and Other Projects.

Minutes, annual reports, presidents' letters, legislative programs, issue files concerning its involvement with such issues as child welfare, civil service, the Constitutional Convention of 1961-1962, election law reform, environmental quality, fair employment practices, human resources, reapportionment, taxation, and voters services; also include records of local branches.

The Michigan League of Women Voters was formed in the early 1920s. The records of the Michigan League of Women Voters cover the period from the 1940s to the 1990s. The issues series document such concerns as environmental quality (air pollution, pesticides, solid waste, and water) as well as human resources (teacher accountability, busing, the Equal Rights Amendment, housing, and social services). There are also large portions of material on taxation, reapportionment, international relations, election law reform, and on the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1961-1962.

Each local chapter of the LWV was required to send its annual reports to the state league. These reports summarized special programs, membership, and financial information. These, as well as correspondence, by-laws, and in some cases, minutes, bulletins, special reports, and voters guides reflect the concerns and issues which confronted the league on the local level.

In many cases local leagues were disbanded because of lack of interest or because the members joined with other local leagues. These discontinued leagues have been designated by the word defunct after their name. Individuals interested in the Farmington leagues should also consult the material under the heading of West Bloomfield - Farmington. Huntington Woods and Lathrup Village joined the league of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge. For those interested in the League of Women Voters in the Upper Peninsula consult the local league series under each community as well as the heading of Copper Country.

Lecturer, writer, and consultant on energy and environmental subjects, most notably the uses and hazards of nuclear energy. Correspondence; her statements, articles, and letters to newspaper editors; reference files; conference and consultation materials; and photographs.

The Mary Sinclair collection provides detailed documentation of one woman's grassroots battle against nuclear power plants in Michigan. The collection, which was received in multiple accessions, has been arranged into the following series: Biographical and honors; Correspondence; Writings and speeches; People file; Early files; Citizen groups; Great Lakes Energy Alliance; University of Michigan; Government agencies; Midland Plant; Palisades Plant; Industries; Radiation; Alternatives to nuclear fission; Mass media; Topical files; Other cases; and Audio-visual material. The files contain both original and collected materials on topics related to her anti-nuclear activities.

Michigan Citizens Against Toxic Substances (MCATS) was a grassroots environmental organization that was formed in response to a proposed hazardous waste disposal facility in Augusta Township, Michigan. MCATS raised awareness in the surrounding communities about the dangers against such a facility, through technical research, meetings, press releases and various other activities. The records reflect MCATS’ active opposition against the proposed hazardous waste facility.

The records of Michigan Citizens Against Toxic Substances relate to its activities as a grassroots environmental organization. The material documents their active opposition to the proposed hazardous waste disposal facility on top of the Arkona Road Landfill. The bulk of the record group dates from the creation of MCATS in 1989 to 1998 when plans for the facility were withdrawn.

The Lansing-based Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) formed in 1980 to coordinate lobbying and other member activities, distribute information, and monitor the environmental policies of state government. More recently, the council has focused almost exclusively on distributing information, directing funding, and building broad consensus on land use issues. The MEC records include information on significant environmental issues in Michigan as well as administrative papers pertaining to the council's operation.

The Michigan Environmental Council records depict the incremental growth of one of Michigan's pre-eminent environmental organizations. In addition to administrative records dealing with the council's operation, the record group also contain information on key environmental issues, major council initiatives, and MEC members. These records therefore will be of value to those interested in the environmental movement, Michigan legislative process, and the development of non-profit organizations.

Records of the Michigan Land Use Institute, a northern-Michigan based environmental and regional planning organization. The Institute uses local programming and local and statewide political lobbying to establish an approach to economic and physical development that strengthens communities, limits suburban sprawl, and protects Michigan’s natural resources. This record group contains correspondence, reports, conference papers, and publications related to the organization and its goals.

The Michigan land Use Institute Records contain materials dating from the Institute's inception in 1995 through 2006 and originating from a number of different offices and administrative units. The collection has been divided into five series, Legal, Library, Policy Files, Program Files, and Visual and Electronic Materials.

The Michigan Natural Areas Council papers document environmental advocacy activities in Michigan from the mid 1940s through 2006. The record group includes numerous reports and articles on natural areas in Michigan, legislative proceedings regarding those areas, photos, slides, correspondence between Michigan's myriad environmental groups, data collected on the natural areas, and maps.

The MNAC records are organized into three series: Administrative Files, Natural Areas Files, and Site Files. The record group documents the Michigan Natural Areas Council's activities and structure from 1934 to 2006, including some materials relating to the MNAC's administration and organization. The bulk of the files relate to the group's efforts to identify and dedicate natural areas in the state of Michigan. There is also some information relating to other Michigan naturalist groups that worked with MNAC members.

The Michigan Nature Association is a non-profit organization concerned with nature education and the purchase and maintenance of land throughout the state for the establishment of natural sanctuaries. The record group includes early papers of the organization, administrative files, correspondence, property and land files, topical files, publications, some visual materials, and legal materials associated with their opposition to the construction of transmission lines in a nature sanctuary.

The Michigan Nature Association records include early papers of the organization, administrative files, correspondence, property and land files, topical files, publications, some visual materials, and legal materials associated with their opposition to the construction of transmission lines in a nature sanctuary. The record group has been arranged into the following series: Early papers, Administrative, Correspondence, Topical files, Publications, Visual Materials, Bertha Daubendiek personal papers, and Litigation files. Most of these files were maintained by Bertha Daubendiek, a founder and secretary-treasurer of the organization.

Federation of state conservation and environmental organizations. Administrative files, including minutes of board of directors and executive committee; press releases and other published materials; files of district organizations and of various organization committees; and photographs.

The records of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs have been divided into the following series: Administration, Committees, Correspondence, District Organizations, Public Relations, Speech File, Topical Files, Publications, Visual Materials, People File, and Scrapbooks.