Citizens’ Resistance at Fermi Two (CRAFT)

Citizens’ Resistance at Fermi Two (CRAFT) is an Indigenous-led, grassroots organization founded after an accident on Christmas Day in 1993 at Fermi 2, which is part of the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station near Monroe, MI. That event was responsible for discharging toxic pollutants into Lake Erie. CRAFT’s mission is to promote environmental justice and protect the Great Lakes by halting nuclear destruction and promoting green renewable energy. CRAFT faces the risk of a nuclear disaster like Fukushima due to the flawed design of Fermi2. The vulnerable communities near the plant, including Indigenous people and people of color, are threatened by dangerous chemical pollutants, harmful radiation, and overheated wastewater that stresses the Great Lakes. CRAFT demands the safe decommissioning and full shutdown of Fermi2 and a transition to green renewable energy, recognizing the societal responsibility to future generations.

A generational effort, CRAFT serves as an active community voice and watchdog for activities at the Fermi nuclear facility. Not only does CRAFT raise the alarm regarding changes or permitting at Fermi, but it at the same time promotes alternative energy solutions that would not harm the Great Lakes basin or the vulnerable communities that live near it. By attending community events, connecting with media and engaging in regulatory interventions, CRAFT aims to protect the health of the land, water and people living near the reactors. Its primary concerns, beyond the impact of a catastrophic nuclear meltdown, are the plant’s airborne pollutants and its discharge of toxic, radioactive water into Lake Erie — which CRAFT believes is responsible for the lake’s toxic algae blooms.

For more information:

Public comments sought on waste water permit for Fermi 2 nuclear plant – Public News Service, October 2023

DTE Energy nuclear plant closed for almost 3 weeks – Detroit Metro Times, September 2023

Watch for harmful algal blooms in Michigan’s recreational waters: One environmental group is convinced it’s being caused by thermal discharge from nuclear plants – Detroit Metro Times, July 2023

DTE’s Fermi 2 nuclear power plant down to replace rotor and refuel – The Detroit News, February 2022