CERTIFICATE OF PROCLAMATION

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ON BEHALF OJj.,

rrHE PEOJ>LE OF MICHIGAN

I, Rick 8nyder, govN·uor of lVIichigan, do hereby proclaim

,July 2-8, 2017

AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES

AWARENESS WEEK WHEREAS, iVliehiga11 a.ncl its ccouomy ,Lre defined by the Great Lakes all(l clepe11d on it,i, grea,t abundance oJ fresh

water for n111,nnfa,etusi11g, to11rjsrn, fishing, pubUe water supplies, agricnlture, and uumerous other uses; a.rnl,

WHEREAS, preve11ti11g the i11trocl11ctio11 of a,quafa: i1m1sjve species ultimately benefits Michjga,n, aucl stoppiug the

i11tmductiou of t,h<'S<' species woulcl el i mina.tc the Heed or emplo,vi11g costly methods to c·ontrol , .md llla11agc them; a.nd,

WHEREAS, Miclug,m has takeu the lead in protecti11g tlw Great Lakes frorn a,quatic invasive spcl·ies from a nnmber or pathw,Lys, incl1 1 tU 11g ba.llast water, ca,11als and waterwa,ys, organisms iu trade, and recre,Ltional activities; and,

WHEREAS, over 180 1101limligenous ,H]ll,Ltic species arn cst,Lblished in the Great La.kes basi 11, 1 11any of whieh aro displaciug 1mtivc speejes, dismpti11g habitats, and degra.di11g ua.tnraJ, maHagc•cl, and agricultnraJ landsca,JJ<'s, resnlting ill mi!Uons of clollar-s fo1· ('Outrol effoL·ts each year; a. 11<1,

WHEREAS, Michiga. 11 lias over 900,000 registered boa.tors a.nd nmny othp1· 1·ecrrnLtional, ('0llllllCrcial, a.ucl jndustrinl

users of over 11, 000 inland lakes a11cl over 36, 000 miles or rivers a,11(1 streams in tlw st.at,<>, mn.ny of which a 1·c im1mctecl b · a.qua.tie iuvasivc• SJ)ecies; arnl,

WHEREAS, nqua.tie invasive species awareness is ,Ul important Ji.rst sfop towarcl behavior change, which prevents

th0 introtlucti011 and spread of aquatic: invasive species; ,IJld,

WHEREAS, spring marks the begiunjng or wa.tcr-related recreational a.ctivitics iu Michigan; a.J1d,

WHEREAS, Aqnat.ie Lwasivc• Spec:ies Awareness Weck is a,u OJ>portunity for govcnnuent to join forc:es with bnsiness, industry, <'nviroumentaJ groups, co1muuruty organizations, and citizens to takc1 a.ctjon against ilie introtlnctiou aJHl spr·c•,ul of aqnatie invasive species;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Snyder·, governor of .:VI:icluga.n, do hereby proclaim .Jn]y 2-8, 2017 as Aquatie Invasive

Species A wa1·cness ·week i11 :.VJ it h igan.

Rick Suydor Goveruor