House Democrats have once again shown their commitment to making Michigan a great place to work, live and raise a family by protecting our most precious natural resource - our water. The House passed the final pieces of the "Great Waters, Great Michigan" plan this spring, which will protect the Great Lakes and all Michigan waters from diversion and misuse.
The plan will go a long way to protect the Great Lakes, Michigan's 11,000 inland lakes and streams, and the good-paying jobs they generate across the state.
"As residents of the Great Lakes State, it is our responsibility to be good stewards of all Michigan's waters," said State Representative Kate Ebli (D-Monroe). "Protecting our Great Lakes and other waters from those who seek to exploit them is critical to protecting our economy and our workers' jobs. Our water sources play a vital role in our top three industries - agriculture, manufacturing and tourism."
With all the pieces of the 10-part package approved by the House this earlier this spring, the plan will effectively ban the diversion of water outside the Great Lakes basin by ratifying the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact; 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; and raise the fines for water-use violations from a maximum of $5,000 per day to $10,000 per day.
Other parts of the plan will lower the amount of new water withdrawals that require a permit, while also ensuring that such large-scale withdrawals are not harming other water users or natural resources. The plan also will give local governments greater control over protecting local lakes and streams while also giving residents a voice, promoting water conservation practices and ensuring sound water policies are enacted in Michigan.
"For as long as Michigan has existed, water has been a vital part of our economy," said State Representative Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores). "As we fight to create good-paying jobs now, this plan will protect our most precious natural and economic resource for generations to come."