February 14, 2012
Advocates: Void Permit to Fill Wetlands
August 2011
h2Olson - Traverse City Attorney is Defender of Global Water
“My name is Jim Olson.” The crowd instantly erupts in applause and cheers, like they’ve all just been waiting for the opportunity. Olson is one of their water heroes. Raised on the shore of East Grand Traverse Bay and now a nationally renowned environmental attorney, he has been working to protect that amazing covalent bonding of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom since his career began in the mid-1970’s.
May 6, 2011
Traverse City Conference Warns that Corporations are Gaining Dangerous Control Over World's Waters
Jim Olson, nationally renowned environmental lawyer based in Traverse City and chair of the Flow for Water Coalition, warns that precedent is giving more and more ownership of water rights to corporations at the expense of public good.
May 6, 2011
Chris Bzdok Bestows Key to the City of Traverse City to Maude Barlow
While Barlow’s presentation was full of both interesting and somewhat concerning information about the current state of the Great Lakes and the need to unite an international movement to protect them in perpetuity, Mayor Bzdok’s warm introduction and insightful commentary was a highlight.
Read more from MLUI's Brian Beauchamp...
October 8, 2010
The New Oil
On October 8, 2010 Newsweek published an article with commentary from Jim Olson. Read the Newsweek article.
September 29, 2010
Champion of Justice Award
On September 29, 2010 Jim Olson accepted the State Bar of Michigan's Champion of Justice Award.
Firm Creates Resource for Aiding in Protection of Water and the Public Trust
Olson, Bzdok & Howard helps create new environmental law website:
Legal Tools to Protect Coastal Environments
March 12, 2010
Michigan Court of Appeals affirms trial court's denial of governmental immunity in Wexford Landfill case.
Read the Record Eagle article featuring Jeff Jocks.
Read the Court of Appeals opinion.
October 2009
Michigan's Clean Energy Legislation: Charging Toward a New Energy Future.
Read this cover story for the Michigan Bar Journal by Chris Bzdok and James Clift.
October 5, 2009
Water Wars: Advocating for 'public trust'
Read the Record Eagle article featuring Jim Olson.
September 16, 2009
Court of Appeals Hears Public Access to Lake Michigan Case
Read the Grand Rapids Press Editorial.
April 1, 2009
Michigan Court of Appeals Affirms Anglers of the Au Sable Decision
Merit Energy Cannot Discharge Wastewater to Kolke Creek
Read the Record Eagle article.
Read the Court of Appeals opinion.
November 16, 2008
The movie Flow, featuring Jim Olson, plays nationally to rave reviews.
Click here for link to the film's website, including reviews.
Read the Record Eagle editorial: Listen to Jim Olson, close the water loophole.
For background on problems with the Great Lakes Compact and threatened export exception, see:
Olson, Navigating the Great Lakes Compact, Water, Public Trust, and International Trade Agreements, 2006 Michigan State Law Review 1103 (2007).
Click for the link to Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation and the public trust campaign.