Thousands Write State Lawmakers: ‘Keep Michigan’s Waters In Michigan’

LANSING, MI—Clean Water Action today announced that more than 7,300 Michigan members have written lawmakers demanding action to protect the state’s waters and urging bipartisan support for ending Michigan’s vulnerability to large-scale water withdrawals.

Of the top 16 of 47 state lawmakers receiving constituent letters, 11 are Republican and five Democrat.

“Starting the day after the current class of lawmakers was elected to the Michigan House, thousands of Clean Water Action members have sent personal letters to lawmakers from both parties asking them to keep Michigan’s waters in Michigan by controlling large-scale water withdrawals,” said Cyndi Roper, Clean Water Action Great Lakes Policy Director.

“Today one Michigan city—Evart—is preparing to sign a deal selling off the public’s water to the Nestle Corporation, and throughout Michigan our Great Lakes and groundwaters remain vulnerable to other wholesale water grabs,” said Roper. “Michigan—the Great Lakes State—is the only Great Lakes basin state without laws on the books to prevent the diversion and export of our water resources for private sale. This is asking for trouble.”

Since March of 2004, when the proposed Water Legacy Act was introduced, the Republican majority has failed to hold even a single hearing on this bill, she said. The Water Legacy Act would, for the first time, give the state tools to manage new large water withdrawals while putting into place conservation practices to sustain Michigan’s waters.

“This bill is the only serious proposal before the legislature,” said Roper. “And while we believe the Water Legacy Act falls short of what we need, we can’t allow partisan politics to leave Michigan’s waters in this vulnerable place. We hope over the coming weeks to see a renewed bipartisan effort to keep Michigan’s waters in Michigan.”

Since November 3, 2004, 7,308 Michigan Clean Water Action members have written by hand or on their computers personal letters to their state House members. They have asked state elected officials from their communities to support legislation that would prevent water withdrawals to other states and countries so Michigan’s waters and jobs are protected. The letters also ask lawmakers to prevent withdrawals from harming nearby lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands and to support water conservation measures.

The Top 16 Lawmakers Receiving the Most Letters from Constituents:

Letter Written To	District	# of Letters
Rep. Glenn Anderson (D)	18	775
Rep. Shelley Taub (R)	40	384
Rep.Chris Kolb (D)	53	329
Rep. Phillip Pavlov (R)	81	299
Rep. Andy Dillon (D)	17	290
Rep. John Stakoe (R)	44	287
Rep. Mike Nofs (R)	62	257
Rep. Gretchen Whitmer (D)	69	254
Rep. Alma Smith (D)	54	254
Rep. David Law (R)	39	248
Rep. Scott Hummel (R)	93	225
Rep. Michael Murphy (D)	68	220
Rep. Glenn Steil Jr (R)	72	213
Rep. Brian Palmer (R)	36	210
Rep. Craig DeRoche (R)	38	184
Rep. John Espinoza (D)	83	184

Additional Letter Totals:

Letter Written To	District	# of Letters
Rep. Richard Ball	85	110
Rep. Clarence Philips	29	4
Rep. Carl Williams	95	23
Rep. Fran Amos	43	107
Rep. Bill Caul	99	46
Rep. John Moolenar	98	142
Rep. James Marleau	46	78
Rep. Aldo Vagnozzi	37	134
Rep. Rick Baxte	65,64	161
Rep. Leslie Mortimer	65	140
Rep. James Marleau	46	7
Rep. Fulton Sheen	88	174
Sen. Valde Garcia	67	48
Rep. Andy Meisner	17	87
Sen. Shirley Johnson	27	184
Sen. Gilda Jacobs	17	9
Rep. Paula Zalenko	50	143
Rep. Diane Byrum	67	139
Rep. Rick Jones	71	119
Rep. John Gleason	48	39
Rep. Judy Emmons	70	36
Rep. Lawrence Wenke	63	20
Rep. Lee Gonzales	49	18
Rep. Jeff Mayes	96	69
Rep. Dave Hildebrand	86	108
Rep. Pam Byrnes	52	131
Rep. Kathy Angerer	55	24
Rep. Dudley Spade	57	97
Rep. John Stewart	20	175
Rep. Daniel Acciavatti	81	112
Rep. Fred Miller	81	158