LANSING – In a move that will protect thousands of jobs and keep Michigan's most precious resource where it belongs, the Michigan House today passed a plan sponsored by State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe) that will effectively ban the diversion of water from outside the Great Lakes basin. As part of its comprehensive water protection plan, the House also moved to toughen standards for water bottling and crack down on water-use violators by increasing fines.
"This is a major victory for the people of the Great Lakes State, and something I've been fighting for from day one," Ebli said. "I introduced this plan in February of 2007 and have been pushing it, despite pressure from special interest groups, ever since. This is the kind of common-sense action we need to move our economy forward."
The plan ratifies the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact, which will ban diversions of water outside of the Great Lakes Basin. In order for the compact to be binding, it must be approved by all 10 Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. The compact has been approved by Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, and approved in principle by Ontario and Quebec. The compact has yet to be approved by Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio.
The plan passed by the House today also will:
- Toughen water bottling standards by lowering the threshold that triggers an environmental review of withdrawals from 250,000 gallons per day to 200,000 gallons per day.
- Raise the fines for water-use violations from a maximum of $5,000 per day to $10,000 per day.
"For as long as Michigan has existed, it has been defined by the Great Lakes and its many smaller lakes, streams and rivers," Ebli said. "Our water is a vital part of who we are. Michigan's three biggest industries – agriculture, manufacturing and tourism – depend heavily on healthy Great Lakes water. As we fight to create good-paying jobs now, this plan will protect our most precious natural and economic resource for generations to come."