LANSING – In a move that will protect thousands of jobs and keep Michigan's most precious resource where it belongs, State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) today voted for a bipartisan plan that will effectively ban the divesion 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.
"The Great Lakes are not only our most precious natural resource – they are also our most precious economic resource," Dean said. "Thousands of jobs in the tourism, agriculture and manufacturing industries depend on healthy Great Lakes water. This plan protects our workers and shuts the door on those who are trying to take our water."
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 trhe 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.
"More than any other state in the nation, Michigan is defined by the Great Lakes and our many lakes, rivers and streams," Dean said. "They are a vital part of what makes us special, and they play an integral part of our lives and our economy. This plan will protect them for generations to come."