LANSING – In a move that will protect thousands of jobs and keep Michigan's most precious resource where it belongs, State Representative Marc Corriveau (D-Northville) today joined his colleagues in the Michigan House in passing a bipartisan plan that will effectively ban the diversion of water from outside the Great Lakes basin. As part of its comprehensive water protection plan, the House also moved to toughen standards for water bottling and crack down on water-use violators by increasing fines.
"Michigan is defined by the Great Lakes, which makes it all the more important for us to ensure that they remain healthy and strong," Corriveau said. "Our waterways are essential to our three biggest industries – manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. This plan will help ensure that our Great Lakes are protected, which will in turn protect our workers' jobs and our economy."
The plan ratifies the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact, which will ban diversions of water outside of the Great Lakes Basin. In order for the compact to be binding, it must be approved by all 10 Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. The compact has been approved by Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, and approved in principle by Ontario and Quebec. The compact has yet to be approved by Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio.
The plan passed by the House today also will:
Toughen 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.
Raise the fines for water-use violations from a maximum of $5,000 per day to $10,000 per day.
"Other states and countries are envious of what we have here in Michigan," Corriveau said. "As residents of the Great Lakes State, we have a duty to protect our water from others who want to ship it off for profit. This plan will do that."