By STATE SEN. GLENN S. ANDERSON
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---- — Unfortunately, this summer will go down in history as the summer of spills. The BP oil spill disaster and the Enbridge spill in the Kalamazoo River here in Michigan both drive home the need for Michigan lawmakers to take action to prevent a disastrous oil spill from happening on our shores.
Surrounded by the Great Lakes and with more than 3,000 miles of shoreline, an oil spill could devastate our natural resources and our economy. In fact, an oil spill the size of the BP disaster would cover the entire surface of Lake Michigan.
That is why I have introduced legislation that would put provisions on the November ballot to allow voters to amend the Constitution to:
• Permanently ban all oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes — both offshore and slant drilling;
• Allow Michigan citizens to hold corporate polluters accountable for the damages to our land and water;
• Ensure that corporations responsible for an oil spill or other pollution pay for all clean-up costs.
Oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes currently is banned by law, but this ban could be overturned at any time by the Legislature. My proposal would make such protections permanent, subject only to change by voters. It also better would protect our land and water from inland environmental disasters. After nearly 900,000 gallons of oil spilled into a creek that feeds into the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan, the need to protect Michigan's natural resources, wildlife, residents and businesses is even more urgent.
Michigan taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for the negligence of a few corporate polluters, and business owners should not face economic uncertainty from environmental problems like these oil spills. My proposal would make sure that the company responsible for the damages is also responsible for the cleanup costs, and that there is no cap on the amount they have to pay to fix any damage they cause.
This plan is not an attack on the oil and gas industry in Michigan, which provides more than 10,000 industry-related jobs and contributes more than $40 million to the state annually. But we also must take Michigan's tourism industry into account. Tourism is the third-largest industry in Michigan, employing 200,000 workers and pumping $1.6 billion into our economy.
Michigan's Great Lakes and other water resources are vital to industries ranging from tourism to agriculture. They provide local jobs, drive local economies and are part of who we are here in Michigan. We simply can't afford to have a disaster like the Enbridge spill on an even larger scale in our Great Lakes.
Time is running out to implement these protections. The Legislature must pass my proposal by Thursday if it is going to be put on the November ballot. Senate Majority Leader Bishop must show leadership, call the Senate back to session and schedule a vote. It's time to stand up for Michigan's waterways and our families and businesses who depend on them for their livelihoods.
About the author: State Sen. Glenn Anderson, of Westland, represents the 6th District.
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