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, Macomb County Democratic Representatives today unveiled a plan 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.
"Lake St. Clair and our other Great Lakes are in danger of being shipped out one small plastic bottle at a time," Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) said. "We must send the message to private companies that our precious water is not for sale."
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.
"Lake St. Clair is an engine for our economy and it's been a source of recreation and enjoyment for Macomb County families," Rep. Frank Accavitti (D-Eastpointe) said. "They deserve to have a great lake in our backyard that won't be threatened by water bottlers."
Rep. Lisa Wojno (D-Warren) said: "Our plan will give Michigan stronger protections of our precious water resources. More safeguards will ensure our Great Lakes water stays here in Michigan for our use."
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County, recently entered a 10-year purchase agreement where the company will pay the city 88 cents per 1,000 gallons withdrawn.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.
On Feb. 28, the Governor signed into law a package of bills aimed at protecting the Great Lakes that, for the first time, protects our water from large-scale withdrawals. The package, among other things: provides a statutory framework for preventing adverse environmental impacts from large-quantity water withdrawals; provides additional protections against the diversion of water outside the Great Lakes Basin by pipeline, canal, or similar means; requires public input from Michigan citizens on any proposed diversion outside the basin; promotes water efficiency by requiring sectors of large-scale water users to develop best practices for water conservation; and improves reporting requirements for large-scale water users to better manage our water resources.
The new law did not prevent the sale of bottled water outside the Great Lakes Basin.