About Citizens for Superior

Mission and Vision

The mission of Citizens for a Safe & Clean Lake Superior is to protect the shoreline, fresh water, and ecological integrity of Lake Superior and its watershed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and to be an advocate for the Lake Superior region by fostering community action to preserve the quality of life provided by this coastal environment for generations to come.

We envision a Lake Superior watershed free from threats to its health and safety for the benefit of all that it sustains.

Born of love for the lake

Citizens for Superior was founded in 2020 by passionate local residents of Marquette County to stop an ill-conceived plan to build an industrial rocket launch site on an ecologically and culturally significant stretch of Lake Superior shoreline just north of the City of Marquette. We’ve researched, organized, and built community opposition of thousands of people to the spaceport project, ultimately resulting in the project’s demise. Learn more about the Stop the Rocket Campaign here.

We brought information to light that scared the spaceport company away, showed mountains of evidence why the project would be detrimental to the environment and economy of the area, and successfully secured a resolution in Powell Township preventing rezoning for a spaceport at Granot Loma. Along the way, we also built an organization that is uniquely poised to tackle new environmental challenges with the backing of a broad coalition of local and statewide civic, business, environmental, scientific, and academic leaders and citizens who remain deeply committed to protecting this globally unique, biodiverse, and fragile freshwater resource.

The view of Lake Superior and Little Presque Isle from an overlook on a clear blue-sky winter day. Photo taken by Jane Fitkin.

What we're up to these days

Citizens for Superior advocates for the protection and health of the Lake Superior shoreline and watershed in da wonderful UP. With a 7-member working Board of Directors, one full-time staff member, and assistance from volunteers and student interns, our current efforts are focused on advocating for wetland protection in Marquette County, organizing around and taking action against environmentally harmful mining threats in the watershed, supporting native plant landscapes and outdoor education in Powell Township, and reducing the hazardous waste effects of vaping in Marquette.

In times like these, when pressure is increasing for extracting minerals for technological advancements, it’s essential for community groups to scrutinize projects that look to mine our land at ecosystems’ expense. In 2024 and 2025, we have organized nearly 1000 people to provide public comments to Michigan’s environmental regulators regarding the Tilden Mine’s applications to fill dozens of acres of wetlands in Marquette County with mine waste, some of which contributed to the company withdrawing their permit application in 2024.

We continue to keep watch over Tilden, Copperwood, and other industrial interests throughout Superior’s watershed to put our water resources first.

CSCLS and Protect the Porkies display information about efforts, including to stop the Copperwood Mine, at the Community Table at the Marquette Farmers Market in May 2024. Photo courtesy Jane Fitkin.

Local woodworker Justin Savu, and CSCLS Director Jane Fitkin, sit on newly installed benches crafted by Justin at the Big Bay Pathway Trailhead Native Plant Garden.

Denny, Jane, and Coty pose with the newly-installed bench at the Big Bay Native Ecosystems Learning Area in fall 2024.

Denny and Jane pose with the newly installed sign at Eagle's Nest Community Forest, where Citizens for Superior supported work done by Superior Watershed Partnership to protect a coastal wetland and provide recreation opportunities for the community.

Kim Ferraro presents at October 2024 Superior on Tap at Ore Dock Brewing Company. The presentation is titled "Supreme Decisions, Vanishing Wetlands: Understanding Recent Policy Impacts to our watersheds".