LANSING – State Representative Terry Brown (D-Pigeon) today voted to put the finishing touches on a landmark water protection package that will keep Michigan's most precious natural resource here where it belongs. With today's action, all components of the bipartisan, comprehensive "Great Waters, Great Michigan" plan have now been sent to the desk of the governor to be signed into law.
"This all-encompassing plan is the result of years of hard work and bipartisan support, and is a historic move toward a common-sense approach to protecting our water," said Brown, who sponsored a key part of the plan. "This is a monumental agreement for residents of the Great Lakes State that will protect thousands of jobs and the special way of life we enjoy here in Michigan."
The "Great Waters, Great Michigan" plan will effectively ban the diversion of water outside the Great Lakes Basin by ratifying the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact. In order for the compact to be binding, it must be approved by all 10 Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. The Great Lakes represent one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water and 95 percent of the U.S. supply of fresh water.
Other highlights of the "Great Waters, Great Michigan" plan include toughening 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; requiring a review of water withdrawals of 1 million gallons per day or more to ensure sensitive water resources
are protected; implementing a water withdrawal assessment tool for new large-scale water withdrawals to determine if
they will harm our natural resources; and raising fines for water-use violations from a maximum of $5,000 per day to
$10,000 per day.
The "Great Waters, Great Michigan" plan is the result of two years of work between the state House and Senate, business groups, environmental organizations and other interested parties. Groups supporting the plan include the Michigan Environmental Council, Clean Water Action, Michigan Manufacturers Association, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Municipal League.
In a separate move to increase good stewardship of the Great Lakes, Brown is sponsoring a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 30, in Port Austin. The National Wildlife Federation will present information about the lakes and how hunters, anglers and others can help protect them. The meeting will take place at the Port Austin Civic Center, at the corner of Spring and Lake streets.