LANSING – State Representative Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak) today applauded the passage of a package aimed at protecting the Great Lakes that, for the first time, will regulate large-scale water withdrawals. The Democrats said they will continue to fight for even more protections against large-scale water diversions for profit.
"Finally, Michigan has the tools to enforce tough Great Lakes-protection standards," said Rep. Donigan. "It's an important step, but there is more we can do to keep our most precious natural resource out of the hands of those who would bottle it up and ship it off to other states for profit."
The House passed a water protection package – embraced by environmental, conservation and farm groups – that regulates large-scale withdrawals. The package does not address the sale of water outside the Great Lakes Basin through the export of bottled water for profit.
Democrats pledged to continue the fight to further protect Michigan's Great Lakes and other freshwater supplies. They have proposed a plan to:
- Seriously restrict companies that want to bottle up and sell our Great Lakes for profit in other states;
- Establish tougher penalties for those who put our Great Lakes in danger; and
- Give local communities a voice in any proposals to divert Great Lakes water.