Muskegon Save Our Shoreline

2/28/06


Today, Governor Granholm signed into law important new protections
for Michigan's waterways, after a 15 month campaign initiated by
members of Michigan's environmental community. For the first time,
major water users in Michigan will need to get a permit from the state
that proves they will not adversely impact waterways.

"Though we still have a ways to go, this takes us leaps and bounds
beyond where we were and we thank the legislature and the Governor for
their leadership," said Cheryl Mendoza of the Alliance for the Great
Lakes. "Michigan is finally taking real steps toward being a leader in
caring for the Great Lakes waters."

A coalition of over 50 organizations gained critical support from a
bipartisan coalition in the House for improving the bills that
originated in the Senate. It was the support of these legislators, led
by State Rep. Brandenburg, Rep. Sak, Rep. Law, Rep. Kahn, Rep. Steward
and Rep. Gillard, that made stronger bills a reality. These bills also
stemmed from the Governor's Water Legacy Act and include significant
components of her proposed law.

"Michigan citizens should be proud of this victory for Michigan's
waters," said Becky Beauregard of the Michigan League of Conservation
Voters Education Fund. "Through the combined effort of hundreds of
thousands of citizens, we were able to win new and significant
protections for Michigan's waterways."

The new laws include:

* Permits for new withdrawals over 2 million gallons per day for
inland lakes and streams and 5 million gallons per day from the Great
Lakes.

* An immediate prohibition against new large-scale water
withdrawals (100,000 g/d averaged over 30 days) that threaten fish
populations in Michigan's waterways, starting with trout streams and
expanding to all inland waterways in 2 years.

* Uniform reporting requirements for all large capacity
withdrawals with a reporting accuracy requirement within 25 feet of the
well.

* A definition of diversions as water sent out of the Great Lakes
basin in containers of 5.7 gallons or more. Under 5.7 gallons
container sizes are considered consumptive uses.

* A new, first-of-its-kind permit system for water bottlers that
has higher standards than other withdrawals. The permit system also
protects riparian rights and reinforces the public trust doctrine
through public notice and hearing procedures.

* A dispute resolution process that creates a forum for citizen
participation when water resources are threatened, and encourages water
users to avoid adverse resource impacts.

* Authority for the Department of Environmental Quality to
temporarily restrict (for 30 days with a possibly additional 30-day
extension) water withdrawals before they have devastating effects.

* Authorization via legislative approval for all water diversion
projects if the current Michigan law against diversions is overturned.

* A requirement that each sector develop water conservation
standards for their sector.

* Appointment of additional representative to the Groundwater
Advisory Council from an agricultural organization, a registered well
driller with hydrological expertise, municipal water supplier, and a
statewide conservation organization.

* A charge that the Groundwater Advisory Council will develop
criteria and indicators to evaluate the suitability of the groundwater,
the development of assessment tools to review withdrawal proposals and
projects, and recommendations for a timetable to update the assessment
tool.

* Assurance that existing legal protections, including those
afforded by the Michigan Environmental Protection Act, will continue to
apply to water withdrawals.

"A paramount issue in this package is protecting all of Michigan's
water resources , not just those with a certain fish population."
stated E. John Trimberger of the Dwight Lydell Chapter of the Izaak
Walton League of America. "Though we still need to focus on more than
fish to measure the health of a waterway, this is still a huge step forward."

"The next step is for our legislature to pass what will be a regional
water use law that has been in the making over the past four years with
the other seven Great Lakes states." According to Mendoza.

For more information, contact Cheryl Mendoza, Water Conservation
Program Manager at
Email or 616-850-0745.


Jamie Morton
Alliance for the Great Lakes (Formerly Lake Michigan Federation)
Manager of Outreach Programs 700 Washington Ave., Suite 150
Grand Haven, MI 49417
616-850-0745
jmorton@greatlakes.org