Justin Tomei joins MUCC as new policy assistant

lschultz • January 4, 2022

Howdy!

My name is Justin Tomei, and I am excited to join MUCC as the new policy assistant. 

As a  Traverse City native, I grew up hunting and fishing around Northern Michigan. Deer camp was always a place for me to make lasting memories with family and friends and continue the hunting traditions and heritage my family instilled in me. Running around the swamps of Kalkaska County, often disappearing from dusk until dawn with my friends and sisters, I always felt a strong connection to the outdoors.

Currently, I hunt white-tailed deer, turkeys and small game. And I look forward to trying my hand at waterfowl in the coming years. I also enjoy fishing for any species that Michigan has to offer.

I attended college at Grand Valley State University where I graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. At Grand Valley, I became very active in campaign politics and decided that would be my career path upon graduation. 

I moved to Indianapolis in 2012 and ran state legislative races for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. After a very successful tenure at the chamber, my wife and I decided we wanted to start a family and moved back to the Grand Rapids area where we currently live with our daughter. As I shifted my career goals away from campaign politics, I searched for a way to apply my skills to my love for the outdoors and new interest in conservation, and the roles hunters and anglers play in it. 

I look forward to working in my new role as the policy assistant at MUCC, and could not be happier to have a new career path where I get to work towards something I am so personally invested in. I want to ensure that my daughter will be able to make the same great memories I have from my childhood and continue the outdoors way of life that I love so much. 

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at jtomei@mucc.org or 517.346.6488.

Recent Posts

By Justin Tomei June 30, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project Lansing, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization, has submitted formal public comments urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project. In a letter submitted today, MUCC emphasized the need to move this critical infrastructure forward to protect the Great Lakes while maintaining safe, reliable energy transportation. “MUCC supports the tunnel project as the best available alternative to reduce the risk of an environmental disaster in the Straits of Mackinac while continuing to deliver essential energy products to Michigan families and industries,” said Amy Trotter, CEO of MUCC. “We believe the tunnel project strikes a balance between protecting the environment and maintaining energy security.” MUCC’s position is backed by a formal resolution passed by its membership, which includes thousands of hunters, anglers, trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Michigan. The resolution supports the tunnel as a long-term solution that replaces the aging and exposed pipeline segment currently crossing the Straits, offering greater environmental safeguards through secondary containment. The organization cited the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which acknowledges the tunnel’s benefits, including reduced spill risk and a controlled, buried environment for transporting light crude oil and natural gas liquids. MUCC also rejected the "no action alternative," which would allow the existing line to remain in operation without any new protective infrastructure. “Other alternatives, like transporting fuel by truck or rail, are inefficient and carry greater environmental and safety risks,” Trotter added. “Allowing the current line to operate exposed on the lakebed indefinitely is simply not acceptable.” MUCC’s comment stresses that the organization is not weighing in on the type of energy transported, but rather on the environmental risks and safety benefits of the tunnel itself. Originally approved by the Michigan legislature and governor in 2018, the Great Lakes Tunnel Project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and environmental protection. MUCC urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the necessary permits and move forward with construction without further delay. For Media Contact: Justin Tomei jtomei@mucc.org 517-346-6488 #####
By Olivia Triltsch June 26, 2025
Since its inception, MUCC has made great strides in the conservation of natural resources through advocacy, habitat, youth education, and communications.
By Katelyn Helsel June 25, 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) for a native plug planting day in Barry County. Located on 850 acres, the institute offers both environmental education opportunities and serves as a biological field station for conducting research. Many diverse native communities from wetlands to prairies are present at PCCI, and many rare or threatened species in Michigan like the eastern box turtle call the institute home. 
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