A group of state Senators is trying to revamp Michigan’s Civilian Conservation Corps.
The MCCC hires young adults who are unemployed to do ecological work on state land. The program was hit hard by a budget shortfall in 2007. Now some lawmakers say the state can revive funding through a public-private partnership. Republican Senator Phil Pavlov. “It’s a jobs program, it’s a conservation program, and it’s also an opportunity to put back into the community,” Pavlov says. The bi-partisan plan calls for the MCCC to be a partnership with universities, private companies, and non-profit organizations. Pavlov says no taxpayer dollars would be spent on the program if the bill passes. Lawmakers will soon begin ironing out the details of the plan.