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BILLS
TO SURRENDER MICHIGANS
WETLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM
Given
all the confusion on federal protections of our waters and wetlands,
some members of the Michigan Legislature have decided it would be a
good time to destroy the State’s wetland protection program as
well. House Bill 4901,
introduced by Representative Moolenaar, and Senate Bill 1112,
introduced by Senator Roger Kahn, would repeal the State’s assumption
of authority to administer the federal Section 404 Program (wetlands
protection). Michigan has a proud tradition of being one of only two
states to administer the program and that tradition must be
maintained. Rather than
abolishing vital environmental protections, lawmakers
should be doing everything within their power to preserve and protect
existing wetlands. These bills
are an abomination and the assault upon our wetland protection must
be stopped!
Be sure to contact your State
Representative and Senator urging them to
maintain Michigan’s
Wetland Protection Program.
Text of the bill can be
viewed at: http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Also check out an article on
the issue, “Bill
calls for state to give up wetland enforcement role” printed in Spinal
Column Newsweekly.
ANOTHER
BILL TO WEAKEN WETLAND PROTECTION
In addition to the bills that would
threaten Michigan’s
assumption of authority to regulate section 404 of the Clean Water
Act, there are other attempts to weaken wetland protection for the
state. Another bill, HB 5762,
introduced by Representative Fulton Sheen, would amend the Natural
Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The bill would place conditions on
the requirement that regulators consider “the availability of
feasible and prudent alternatives, locations, and methods.” Current guidelines
for DEQ staff with regard to feasible and prudent alternatives
already exist in rules. The
bill would require the MDEQ to consider whether the alternative
location they propose is on the same parcel and if it is already
owned by the applicant. Other
amendments would basically require regulators to look at the proposed
use from the point of view of the property owner rather than from the
point of view of environmental protection.
The entire point of wetland protection is
to protect and preserve our wetlands, not the uses of private property
owners. There is no reason or
justification for this legislation as the DEQ already follows
guidelines that consider the proposed requirements. Contact your Senator
or Representative and
urge them to oppose this unnecessary legislation.
To read the text of the introduced bill,
visit http://www.legislature.mi.gov
WATER
USE LEGISLATION NEEDS YOUR HELP
The Great Lakes
Compact is likely to be voted on in the Michigan legislature very
soon. The Great
Lakes, Great Michigan (GLGM) coalition has been working
to ensure that the implementing legislation for the Compact is strong
and improves existing law. The
coalition includes over 60 businesses, lake associations, and
agricultural, religious, environmental, and citizen action groups
from across the state.
Currently, there are
competing bill packages regarding water withdrawals in the Michigan
House and Senate. GLGM supports the House bills and opposes the
Senate package for the following reasons:
1. The Senate bills only require
permits for new or expanded water withdrawals if they exceed 2
million gallons a day. This trigger is too high. If
public comment is limited to permitting, then you won’t get to
comment on most withdrawals, because so few permits will be required
at this level.
2. The
Senate bills give less protection to streams and rivers that are the
backbone of the tourism industry for many Michigan communities. In
fact, they allow up to a 25% reduction in some stream flows across
the state. This is just unacceptable, and could have terrible
consequences for wetlands and other resources.
3. The Senate
bills fail to require the state to exercise its “public trust”
authority over groundwater. This is primitive.
Groundwater should be explicitly listed as a resource protected by
the public trust doctrine.
GLGM is asking for your help. During the legislative break, please
contact your state legislators – Senators and Representatives – and
tell them to support the House water use legislation. The Michigan House
will be on break from March 20 – April 8. The Senate breaks from March 27 –
April 15.
For
more information, go to www.greatlakesgreatmichigan.org
and www.michiganwaternotforsale.com
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