2007 House Bill 4343 / 2008 Public Act 184

Enact Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact

Introduced in the House

Feb. 28, 2007

Introduced by Rep. Kate Ebli (D-56)

To enact into Michigan statute the terms of the <a href="http://www.cglg.org/projects/water/docs/12-13-05/Great_Lakes-St_Lawrence_River_Basin_Water_Resources_Compact.pdf">Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact</a>, which includes a ban on new diversions of water outside the Basin with limited exceptions, and would empower a council comprised of delegates from the signatories with authority to adopt regulations to enforce the compact, but these would not have the force of law unless member states adopted their own regulations.

Referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Environment

Dec. 5, 2007

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-3) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

May 14, 2008

Substitute offered by Rep. Kate Ebli (D-56)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Martin Griffin (D-64)

To establish that if a water withdrawal permit is granted under certain state regulations, it is considered to meet the terms of the multi-state compact. This could have the effect of preempting provisions of the conpact that could give other other states the authority to block certain projects in Michigan.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Passed in the House 108 to 0 (details)

To enact into Michigan statute the terms of the <a href="http://www.cglg.org/projects/water/docs/12-13-05/Great_Lakes-St_Lawrence_River_Basin_Water_Resources_Compact.pdf">Great Lakes—St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact</a>, which includes a ban on new diversions of water outside the Basin with limited exceptions, and would empower a council comprised of delegates from the signatories with authority to adopt regulations to enforce the compact, but these would not have the force of law unless member states adopted their own regulations. Essentially, the new compact repeals the veto that Michigan and each Great Lakes state currently has on diversions of water to outside the Great Lakes basin, and replaces it with restrictions on water use both inside and outside the basin.

Received in the Senate

May 15, 2008

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

June 25, 2008

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Substitute offered

To adopt a version that uses this as the legislative "vehicle" not for the Great Lakes Compact adoption, but for some of the provisions of House-passed version of House Bill 5066, giving the Department of Environmental Quality the duty to notify certain local authorities regarding certain large groundwater withdrawals, which could form "water resources assessment and education committees" in order to assess area water use trends and "educate" large water users.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Passed in the Senate 36 to 0 (details)

To give the Department of Environmental Quality the duty to notify certain local authorities regarding certain large groundwater withdrawals, which could form "water resources assessment and education committees" in order to assess area water use trends and "educate" large water users.

Received in the House

June 25, 2008

June 26, 2008

Passed in the House 92 to 14 (details)

To concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill, which would give the Department of Environmental Quality the duty to notify certain local authorities regarding certain large groundwater withdrawals, which could form "water resources assessment and education committees" in order to assess area water use trends and "educate" large water users.

Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm

July 9, 2008