Great Lakes, Great Michigan Campaign

Citizen campaign calls for stronger water laws
at senate committee hearing

Great Lakes, Great Michigan campaign encourages chair to address
public control and input in legislative water package

Lansing, MI—The Great Lakes, Great Michigan campaign today urged the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee chair, and its members, to adopt strong water withdrawal legislation that addresses public control and input.

“As a state, we must develop mechanisms that strengthen public control,” said Grenetta Thomassey of Tip of the Mitt Watershed and coordinator for the campaign. “Public input is key to ensuring sustainability and economic use of our waters.”

At today’s hearing, the committee addressed a package of bills that fails to adequately protect Michigan’s waters. The bills would adopt a groundwater assessment tool for approval of large-scale withdrawals. That assessment process will determine how much water will be preserved for Michigan residents to use and enjoy and how much could be a set-aside for-profit, sell off of Michigan’s water resources. Having proper safeguards in place is critical to Michigan’s future.

As the only state entirely with the Great Lakes basin, Michigan has a unique responsibility to protect and preserve the lakes, which contain 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water.

“As the Great Lakes State, we have a responsibility to adopt strong water withdrawal legislation,” said James Clift of the Michigan Environmental Council. “We commend the chair for addressing this issue and are working with her to ensure decisions adequately reflect the values each community places on their water. This package needs to empower local communities to have a say in their future.”

The campaign used the hearing as an opportunity to highlight the items they wish to see in any legislation and to encourage the chair to address legislation introduced by other senators (Senate Bills 721-729). The Senate package, and identical house bills (HB 5065-5073), would adopt mechanisms to ensure public involvement and assessment of resource harm.

“Setting aside large quantities of Michigan’s water for privatized ventures without a system for public input is unacceptable,” said Patrick Schuh with Clean Water Action. “Michigan citizens are demanding that our lakes, rivers and streams be protected from thirsty states and countries.”