Skip Pruss speaks to the impact of HB 4205 on Michigan and its natural resources
The Michigan legislature has introduced what is a sure contender for the worst Michigan environmental bill of the 21st century. The bill, HB 4205, would prohibit all state agencies from promulgating any administrative rule that is more stringent than an applicable federal standard. With the federal government actively seeking to dismantle historic environmental protections by lowering or eliminating a whole host of environmental standards, HB 4205 could result in irreparable and irrevocable harm to Michigan’s priceless natural resource heritage.
We cannot assign the responsibility to protect Michigan’s natural resources to the federal government. We cannot surrender the safeguarding of Michigan’s natural resources to an administration that is contemptuous of efforts to protect land and water resources and boasts of its eagerness to eviscerate existing environmental rules.
The Trump Administration’s pledge to repeal two administrative rules for every rule promulgated and its promise to use the Congressional Review Act to void environmental regulations are indicators of the potential harm HB 4205 could create. The Trump Administration’s roll back of 23 environmental rules in its first 100 days is harm already incurred.
Michigan’s natural resources are globally unique, requiring vigilant protection and stewardship. Our Great Lakes hold 20 percent of the world’s supply of fresh surface waters and harbor distinctive, specialized watersheds. Our shoreline of 3,288 miles is by far the longest freshwater coastline in the United States, shaping coastal dunes that are singularly unique natural features. Science affirms that our inland lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands are an integrated, interconnected, mutually dependent hydrologic system providing immeasurable services and benefits to all citizens.
In all, Michigan’s natural resources are magnificent, unparalleled and sublime – a natural endowment demanding extraordinary legislative safeguarding. HB 4205 is antithetical to Michigan’s values, laws and environmental legacy.
HB 4205 has eleven legislative co-sponsors. Their support of this bill is irreconcilable with their constitutional responsibilities. Michigan’s Constitution explicitly defines the primary duty legislators have to protect Michigan’s natural resources. Article 4, Section 52 of Michigan’s Constitution states:
The conservation and development of the natural resources of the state are hereby declared to be of paramount public concern in the interest of the health, safety and general welfare of the people. The legislature shall provide for the protection of the air, water and other natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment and destruction.
Complementing this constitutional mandate is the Public Trust Doctrine, embodying a set of foundational principles, long recognized by law, that require proper stewardship of Great Lakes resources. The doctrine creates a fiduciary responsibility of stewardship on the part of government for the preservation of these resources for the benefit of the public. Described in Michigan jurisprudence as a “high, solemn and perpetual duty,” the Public Trust Doctrine creates a foundational, unifying, coherent legal framework for defining and prescribing rights, obligations, duties and responsibilities for protecting public resources that government – and the legislators behind HB 4205 – cannot ignore.
Please encourage your friends and family to contact the eleven co-sponsors of HB 4205:
Triston Cole – (primary), Jim Runestad, Aaron Miller, Kathy Crawford, Michele Hoitenga, Steven Johnson, Peter Lucido, Beau LaFave, Tom Barrett, Sue Allor, John Reilly.
Stanley “Skip” Pruss co-founded 5 Lakes Energy in 2010, specializing in energy policy and clean energy system development.
Why would they even want to pass a law like this?
Please do everything possible to protect our state.
I will be working with other members of Indivisible TC to mount opposition to this irresponsible and unconstitutional bill. Our water is the lifeblood of our health, our economy, and our communities.
Thank you Skip. I will contact these folks and help spread the word.
Thanks for making writing to these co-sponsors so quick and easy, Skip! Takes less than 10 minutes to write to all of them. Clicking on the name takes you right to their website and it’s one click to contact them by email. Please do it!
The conservation and development of the natural resources of the state are hereby declared to be of paramount public concern in the interest of the health, safety and general welfare of the people. The legislature shall provide for the protection of the air, water and other natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment and destruction.
DO YOUR JOB AND PROTECT OUR NATURAL RESOURCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VOTE NO ON HOUSE BILL4205
Thank you for this article.
Who are the 11 co-sponsors?
We need to protect our water resources.
I just found information about who is on the Oversight Committee here: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/committee/oversight.html
I will be contacting the clerk to find out when this bill is on the agenda. If I find anything out, I’ll post here there and everywhere : )
It might not be a bad idea to write to each of the committee members, in addition to the sponsors of the bill….
Do not let this happen to our beautiful State,please protect our waters.
https://forloveofwater.org/hb-4205/
Note the public opinion is 100% against this bill. Further proving to me that you do not care to represent the people of this state. Hopefully the gerrymandering initiative will make it on the ballot in 2018 and pass so we can get this dead weight out of the legislature. It is clear they do not represent us or our fine state.