LANSING – In an attempt to toughen recent legislation signed into law by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that protects our Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers and streams, Oakland County Democrats today unveiled a legislative package that will ban new or expanded exports of bottled water unless they are explicitly approved by the Legislature. The package includes both a bill to implement this provision and a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine protections against water diversion or export in the state constitution.
"Our Great Lakes define our state," said State Representative Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak). "Our lakes, rivers and streams make Michigan a water wonderland that must be safeguarded for future generations. We can't allow our greatest natural resource to be shipped off to other states, one bottle at a time, for profit."
The Democratic package will, among other things:
- Amend the state's definition of "diversion" to include the transfer of bottled water outside the Great Lakes Basin;
- Require all proposed diversions to receive legislative approval; and
- Increase the civil fine for violating the prohibition against diversions to a range of $25,000 to $3 million, up from $1,000.
Nestle Waters North America Inc. is poised to expand its Ice Mountain Spring Water plant in Mecosta County, according to an April 5 Cadillac News article. The company currently withdraws over 300,000 gallons daily from its wells in Mecosta County. And Ice Mountain and the city of Evart, in Osceola County, recently entered a 10-year purchase agreement where the company will pay the city 88 cents per 1,000 gallons withdrawn. Ice Mountain intends to draw between 100,000 and 200,000 gallons daily from one of the city's eight wells dedicated to the company's use. According to the article, the company plans to build a second Midwest plant by 2008. The Democratic package would effectively prevent water from these kinds of proposals from being exported out of the Great Lakes Basin.