Lynn McIntosh: 2019 Petoskey Prize winner

Lynn McIntosh was dismayed at first when local leaders rebuffed her concerns about the environmental impact of Wolverine Worldwide tannery’s demolition near her home in Rockford. Then she set out to see for herself. Over the next six years, with support from a handful of like-minded citizens, she led a dogged grassroots investigation that grew in scale and scope, entailing interviews, canvassing, Freedom of Information requests, meetings, and water, soil, and fish testing.

All along, local leaders tried to impede the group’s efforts—until 2017. That’s when the group presented documentation indisputably proving Wolverine’s practices polluted local drinking water with record levels of PFAS. McIntosh’s inspiring activism prompted local remediation and sparked a state response to PFAS contamination being found in communities across Michigan.

For her efforts, McIntosh was recognized with the Petoskey Prize for Environmental Leadership, Michigan’s premiere environmental service award complete with a $5,000 check to the Michigan Environmental Council member group that nominated her.