LANSING – State Representative Mary Valentine (D-Norton Shores) 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 passed and will be signed into law.
"The action taken on this plan today is a milestone for Michigan," Valentine said. "Thousands of jobs in the agricultural, manufacturing and tourism industries rely on the Great Lakes. The 'Great Waters, Great Michigan' plan will protect these jobs and keep our water right here in Michigan where it belongs."
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.
"The 'Great Waters, Great Michigan' plan not only protects our most precious natural resource, but will also help to create more good-paying jobs for our workers," Valentine said. "This plan is a historic step in the right direction. Today we guaranteed that our special way of life here in Michigan will be enjoyed by generations to come."