DAY 4 DETAILS:
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited FishPass in Downtown Traverse City during his annual motorcycle tour across Michigan. Peters highlighted the $22.7 million in Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funding he secured to help make the FishPass project possible. FishPass replaced the deteriorated Union Street Dam and will reconnect the Boardman/Ottaway River with Lake Michigan’s Grand Traverse Bay. Once open, FishPass will sort and selectively pass native fish while blocking harmful invasive species, such as sea lamprey. FishPass is the capstone of a 20-year project to restore more than 100 miles of the Boardman/Ottaway River, strengthening local ecosystems and fisheries.
“It’s an honor be here to see the progress and final touches made to FishPass before this exciting, long-term project is officially open,” said Senator Peters. “FishPass is a reminder of the passion and commitment that Michiganders have for protecting our Great Lakes and natural resources. It shows that we are creating new and innovative solutions for that work. As long as I have the privilege of serving the state of Michigan, I will continue working to protect the Great Lakes, manage invasive species, and safeguard our state’s precious waterways.”
As construction of FishPass nears its completion, Peters toured the site with Traverse City Mayor Amy Shamroe, Angelina Raphael, Vice Chairwomen of the Grand Traverse Band of Chippewa Indians, and Dr. Marc Gaden, Executive Secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. During the visit, Gaden, a fellow motorcycle rider and annual participant in Peters’ motorcycle tour, ceremoniously dedicated a new pedestrian bridge in honor of Peters. The bridge will be on display in Rotary Square and installed over the Boardman/Ottaway River in the coming months.
“We are fortunate to have such incredible freshwater resources here in Traverse City, and our community has long understood the importance of protecting them,” said Traverse City Mayor Amy Shamroe. “We are grateful to Senator Peters for fighting to secure robust federal funding for FishPass, an investment that will strengthen our waterways while creating exciting new opportunities for research and economic growth in Traverse City.”
“Invasive species remain one of the most serious threats facing the Great Lakes. FishPass demonstrates how innovative solutions can protect native fish while restoring the health of our waterways,” said Marc Gaden, Executive Secretary of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. “This project is a major priority for our Commission, so we’re thankful for Senator Peters’ efforts to secure the federal resources needed to move FishPass forward.”
Supporting FishPass is part of Peters’ legacy of protecting the Great Lakes and Michigan’s precious waterways for future generations. FishPass received federal funding from the GLRI, which has provided over $4.7 billion to fund more than 9,000 projects to combat the greatest threats to the Great Lakes, including invasive species, harmful algal blooms and loss of fish and wildlife habitats. Peters has consistently led the charge to fund the GLRI, including by securing $1 billion for the program – the largest investment in GLRI ever – as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Today, he is leading the effort to reauthorize the program for another five years at increased funding levels, which would put GLRI on solid footing for years to come.
Peters also created the U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Oil Spill Center of Expertise. Collocated in Ann Arbor and Sault Ste. Marie, the center is actively working to develop best practices for effectively responding to an oil spill in freshwater environments like the Great Lakes.
As Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, Peters plays a key role in uniting Great Lakes lawmakers to coordinate legislative initiatives, funding priorities, and oversight efforts to address the most important issues facing the Great Lakes, such as invasive species, environmental contamination, shoreline erosion, water quality, infrastructure needs, and more.
Peters – an avid and longtime motorcycle rider – kicked off his “Thank you, Michigan” tour in Bay City. He then made stops in Alpena, Marquette, and Traverse City, before he will make stops in Grand Rapids and East Lansing. He will ride more than 1,000 miles across the state on this year’s tour – which is Peters’ 10th and last official motorcycle tour.
“I’ve always said the best way to travel across our state is on a motorcycle,” Peters said. “Representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate has been the absolute honor of my lifetime. So, this year’s tour is about saying thank you to all of the amazing people and communities I’ve been able to partner with during my career to help make Michigan an amazing place to work, live, and raise a family.”
DAY 5 DETAILS:
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited the new Automation Lab at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) during his annual motorcycle tour across Michigan. Peters highlighted the $998,000 in federal funding he secured to create the Automation Lab and strengthen GRCC’s regional workforce development efforts. The fully automated facility serves as a training hub for students pursuing high-demand jobs in advanced manufacturing and automation, as well as those already working in the field who need additional training or credentials for promotion. This effort is part of Peters’ long legacy of fighting to strengthen Michigan’s robust manufacturing sector, expand skills training opportunities, and help place more Michiganders in good paying, in demand jobs.
“GRCC excels at preparing students to get good-paying, in-demand jobs right out of school,” said Senator Peters. “This state-of-the-art and fully automated training facility will not only strengthen those courses, but also GRCC’s efforts to connect students with local employers ahead of graduation to help keep that talent in Michigan. This level of dedication and community investment is remarkable, and why I was proud to help secure nearly $1 million in federal funding to build the new lab.”
Peters toured GRCC’s new, state-of-the-art training facility with GRCC Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Sheila Jones, GRCC Professor John Doneth, Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, and Cody Langlois, a graduate of GRCC’s Manufacturing & Applied Technology Program. During the tour, GRCC staff led Peters through demonstrations of cutting-edge robotics equipment that will be used for classroom instruction for the first time this fall semester.
“My experience at GRCC gave me the hands-on skills I needed to prepare for a good-paying career in advanced manufacturing right here in West Michigan,” said Cody Langlois, a graduate of GRCC’s Manufacturing & Applied Technology Program and current employee at JR Automation. “I’m grateful to Senator Peters for supporting GRCC and helping to secure the federal funding for this new lab. His support is creating opportunities for the next generation of Michigan manufacturing workers, and I’m excited to see other students come through this lab and find the same kind of opportunity that GRCC helped provide for me.”
“I applaud Senator Peters for his steadfast, unwavering commitment to American manufacturing,” said Ingrid Tighe, President of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the Michigan representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). “The investment in this critical program will not only support students but countless manufacturers in the region who need good talent to grow and thrive. In addition to supporting this project, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center appreciates everything Senator Peters has done to support our state’s robust manufacturing sector and set Michigan workers up for success.”
Peters has consistently prioritized investing in American manufacturing and workforce development. Peters helped author and pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act to boost U.S. manufacturing of semiconductor chips, strengthen critical domestic supply chains, and create good-paying American jobs. The CHIPS and Science Act additionally increased funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which supports MEPs like the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC). Peters helped enact bipartisan legislation that expanded access to career and technical education (CTE) opportunities outside of the traditional four-year degree career pathway. Peters also introduced bipartisan legislation that was signed into law to allow more veterans to use their GI bill benefits toward securing a registered apprenticeship.
Peters – an avid and longtime motorcycle rider – kicked off his “Thank you, Michigan” tour in Bay City. He then made stops in Alpena, Marquette, Traverse City, and Grand Rapids, before he will conclude the tour in East Lansing. He will ride more than 1,000 miles across the state on this year’s tour – which is Peters’ 10th and last official motorcycle tour.
“I’ve always said the best way to travel across our state is on a motorcycle,” Peters said. “Representing Michigan in the U.S. Senate has been the absolute honor of my lifetime. So, this year’s tour is about saying thank you to all of the amazing people and communities I’ve been able to partner with during my career to help make Michigan an amazing place to work, live, and raise a family.”
