*Thousands Write State Lawmakers:
‘Keep Michigan’s Waters In Michigan’*
LANSING, MI—Clean Water Action today announced that more than 7,300
Michigan members have written lawmakers demanding action to protect the
state’s waters and urging bipartisan support for ending Michigan’s
vulnerability to large-scale water withdrawals.
Of the top 16 of 47 state lawmakers receiving constituent letters, 11
are Republican and five Democrat.
"Starting the day after the current class of lawmakers was elected to
the Michigan House, thousands of Clean Water Action members have sent
personal letters to lawmakers from both parties asking them to keep
Michigan’s waters in Michigan by controlling large-scale water
withdrawals,” said Cyndi Roper, Clean Water Action Great Lakes Policy
Director.
“Today one Michigan city—Evart—is preparing to sign a deal selling off
the public’s water to the Nestle Corporation, and throughout Michigan
our Great Lakes and groundwaters remain vulnerable to other wholesale
water grabs,” said Roper. “Michigan—the Great Lakes State—is the only
Great Lakes basin state without laws on the books to prevent the
diversion and export of our water resources for private sale. This is
asking for trouble.”
Since March of 2004, when the proposed Water Legacy Act was introduced,
the Republican majority has failed to hold even a single hearing on this
bill, she said. The Water Legacy Act would, for the first time, give the
state tools to manage new large water withdrawals while putting into
place conservation practices to sustain Michigan’s waters.
“This bill is the only serious proposal before the legislature,” said
Roper. “And while we believe the Water Legacy Act falls short of what we
need, we can’t allow partisan politics to leave Michigan’s waters in
this vulnerable place. We hope over the coming weeks to see a renewed
bipartisan effort to keep Michigan’s waters in Michigan.”
In 1986, Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act. The Act
ensures that each Great Lakes governor can veto a diversion or export of
Great Lakes water. But, the vast majority of the Unites States' people
live outside the Great Lakes basin. And man of those live in so-called
"thirsty states." This increases the possibility that WRDA--our only
authority to block diversion--could be amended or repealed. Michigan
voters overwhelmingly support new laws to regulate large water
withdrawals, according to a recent poll. Support is strong across the
board, with Republicans (at 80%), Independents (at 83%) and Democrats
(at 75%).
Since November 3, 2004, 7,308 Michigan Clean Water Action members have
written by hand or on their computers personal letters to their state
House members. They have asked state elected officials from their
communities to support legislation that would prevent water withdrawals
to other states and countries so Michigan’s waters and jobs are
protected. The letters also ask lawmakers to prevent withdrawals from
harming nearby lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands and to support water
conservation measures.
The Top 16 Lawmakers Receiving the Most Letters from Constituents:
* Letter Written To District # of Letters*
Rep. Glenn Anderson (D) 18 775
Rep. Shelley Taub ( R ) 40 384
Rep.Chris Kolb (D) 53 329
Rep. Phillip Pavlov (R) 81 299
Rep. Andy Dillon (R) 17 290
Rep. John Stakoe (R) 44 287
Rep. Mike Nofs (R ) 62 257
Rep. Gretchen Whitmer (D) 69 254
Rep. Alma Smith (D) 54 254
Rep. David Law (R ) 39 248
Rep. Scott Hummel (R ) 93 225
Rep. Michael Murphy (D) 68 220
Rep. Glenn Steil Jr (R ) 72 213
Rep. Brian Palmer ( R) 36 210
Rep. Craig DeRoche (R) 38 184
Rep. John Espinoza ( R) 83 184
For a complete list of lawmakers receiving constituent letters on
Keeping Michigan’s Waters please go to:
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/mi/index.htm