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Michigan Watersheds Threatened..again. |
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Tell Lansing politicians to not allow our coldwater fisheries to be damaged for commercial gain (Michigan Residents)It looks like there is another threat to our fisheries, and specifically, our cold-water fisheries from companies looking to pump water from our watersheds. Read below which is from the Trout Unlimilted site here. Negotiations have been underway during the past several months to develop legislation to regulate new large-volume water withdrawals in Michigan and the Great Lakes. Senate Republicans and House Democrats originally introduced two substantially different sets of bills to address this issue.
Many of the differences have been resolved through recent negotiations. The remaining differences between the competing bill packages include how much damage to aquatic resources will be allowed, how much opportunity for public input will be required, and the explicit recognition that the state has to manage its waters for the public trust. »learn more
WHY WE CARE
Current Michigan law prevents new large quantity water withdrawals from having an adverse impact to aquatic resources. New proposed legislation, Senate bill 860, would re-define and substantially weaken the definition of “adverse” to allow reductions in fisheries, including our precious coldwater fisheries. This will set a dangerous precedent whereby our public resources can be degraded to benefit private commercial ventures. House bills 5065-5073 are a similar but more promising approach that would better conserve Michigan's valuable coldwater resource assets. We need your help today to get the best law possible enacted.
It is time to send a clear message to Lansing politicians that we are not going to accept damage to our precious public resources so that future commercial interests can profit at our expense. There is plenty of water available in Michigan for future commercial development - we do not have to accept excessive damage to our waters and the economies they are already supporting. House water withdrawal bills maintain that no reduction in fish populations should be allowed on our coldwater rivers and streams.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
1.) Phone calls and personal letters are the most effective methods to support these bills. Find your local legislator in our online action center and contact them in person today.
2.) If you only have time for an e-mail, please visit our online action center and contact your delegates and senators to express support of HB 5065-5073 and opposition to SB 860.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or for more information.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bryan Burroughs
Executive Director
Michigan Council
Trout Unlimited
Ph. 616-460-0477
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