Tag: policy brief

Policy Brief: Polluter Accountability in Michigan

Published on April 16th, 2024 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

Download the policy brief: Polluter Accountability (PDF)

The repeal of the Polluter Pay law has cost Michigan taxpayers over $1.5 billion over the past 25 years1. Polluters have walked away from more than 3,000 contaminated sites with groundwater and soil too polluted to use, leaving taxpayers on the hook for billions more.

The rollback has compromised the health and safety of Michigan residents, and put an unjustifiable financial burden on taxpayers who are forced to bear the cost of cleaning up the messes created by corporate polluters. Common sense reforms to bring back polluter accountability will enable Michigan to chart a sustainable future and help communities and businesses thrive. The people of Michigan deserve accountability and justice for the harm caused by blatant polluters, and an end to this flagrant disregard for groundwater and human health. Download our policy brief above, and also see FLOW’s report, Making Polluters Pay, for a more detailed history.

1Fiscal Year 2020 State Environmental Cleanup Programs Report, EGLE (2021), https://www.michigan.gov/egle/-/media/Project/Websites/egle/Documents/Reports/Boilerplate/Report-FY2020-Consolidated.pdf

 

 

Green Infrastructure: Smart solutions for stormwater runoff

Published on April 16th, 2024 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

Download the brief:
Stormwater Utilities (pdf)

Over the past few decades, Michigan has faced an increase in unpredictable storm events. Unfortunately, our existing stormwater infrastructure is not built to handle the frequency and intensity of these storms, creating problems with water runoff and flooding. 

This, in turn, has led to problems such as water pollution, algal blooms, beach closures, threats to public health, and increased infrastructure costs to taxpayers. Polluted runoff also contaminates the environment and endangers aquatic life. Stormwater utilities can be a part of the solution, by enabling communities to fund modern, green stormwater infrastructure and protect the environment and public health.

In the brief above, dive in deeper as FLOW explores the issue and possible solutions to solve it. FLOW is working to develop a legislative solution to enable small and mid-sized communities in Michigan to legally establish stormwater utilities and secure a reliable source of funding for this crucial infrastructure. Stormwater utilities are an essential tool for managing and mitigating the negative impacts of stormwater runoff, including flood damage, erosion, and pollution.