"Our Great Lakes, rivers and waterways are our most precious natural resource," Polidori said. "We rely on our water for tourism and to boost the economy. The Governor gave us the necessary tools we need to protect our lakes and waterways."
Until today, Michigan was the only Great Lakes state that had virtually no protections for its water. The signing puts Michigan in compliance with the Great Lakes Charter that was drawn up more than 20 years ago. The Governor signed into law a water-protection package – embraced by environmental, conservation, industry and farm groups – that stems 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, tunnel, aqueduct, or similar means.
- Requires public input opportunities for Michigan citizens regarding any proposed diversion outside the basin.
- Promotes water efficiency by requiring sectors of large-scale water users to develop best practices for water conservation.
- Improves reporting requirements for large-scale water users to provide for better management of our water resources.
- Seriously restrict companies that want to bottle up and sell our Great Lakes for profit in other states.
- Establish tougher penalties for those who put our Great Lakes in danger.
The package does not address the sale of water outside the Great Lakes Basin through the export of bottled water for profit.
House Democrats have proposed a plan to further protect Michigan's Great Lakes and other freshwater supplies. The plan would:
"We are serious about protecting our lakes and waterways," Polidori said. "These extraordinary protections signed by the Governor are a major first step and we will continue to fight for stronger laws that will protect our water."