Michigan drilling ban legislation moves through committee today in state House
Legislation calling for a constitutional ban on drilling in Michigan's Great Lakes took its first steps toward becoming law today.
State Rep. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, is calling for permanent measures to protect the state's waters from a tragic oil spill disaster like the one caused by BP that is devastating the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico.
Rebekah Warren
Warren, chairwoman of the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee, passed a series of plans through her committee today that would let Michigan voters decide in November on a permanent ban on drilling in the Great Lakes. The plans also urge Canada and other Great Lakes states to do the same.
"Today we took some very important steps toward permanently banning drilling in the Great Lakes," Warren said. "I simply cannot picture what a catastrophe the likes of which we're seeing in the Gulf of Mexico would look like on Michigan's shorelines, nor do I want to. With a permanent ban we can make sure that day never comes."
While drilling in the Great Lakes is against state law, Warren said the state Legislature and governor currently could change that at anytime. The plans passed by the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee today would:
• Give Michigan voters the right to make the ban permanent by making it part of the state constitution. If the Legislature passes the plan, the measure will appear on the November 2010 ballot.
• Urge all of the Great Lakes states and Canada to adopt a Great Lakes drilling ban.
• Recommend adding a ban on drilling in the Great Lakes to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada.
Michigan would be the first Great Lakes state to enact a permanent ban on drilling. Under current law, companies caught drilling without a permit face fines of up to $1,000 per day. Those responsible for a spill face fines of up to $25,000 per day and are liable for up to $75 million in damages and are accountable for cleanup.
"I'm proud that Michigan is taking the lead in this fight to keep our waters and beaches safe and healthy in order to protect the jobs and livelihoods of our workers, a crucial part of our economy and a major part of what makes the Great Lakes State so special," Warren said.
Clean Water Action, a grassroots nonprofit organization with offices in Ann Arbor, East Lansing and Grand Rapids, has upwards of 75 to 100 field organizers talking to residents throughout the state and gathering letters of support for the drilling ban initiative.
Jesse Worker, Southeast Michigan campaigns organizer for Clean Water Action, testified before Warren's committee today.
"Essentially we don't think it's worth the risk to allow drilling in the Great Lakes," Worker said. "Our economy is so tied to the quality and quantity of clean water that we have here in Michigan and this has always been a major part of our organization."
Worker said the Great Lakes already face threats from on-shore directional drilling that goes underneath the lake beds. He said there have been incidents of leaking pipes, and studies show one quart of oil can potentially contaminate up to 2 million gallons of drinking water.
Directional drilling for oil and natural gas was prohibited by state law in 2002 and by federal law in 2005, but there are about seven such drilling operations in Michigan that are grandfathered in and continue to draw oil or natural gas from underneath the Great Lakes. Worker said those operations would not be shut down even with a permanent ban, but it would prevent future drilling permits from being issued.
The Mackinac Center has argued in recent years that the ban on directional drilling in the Great Lakes should be lifted.
Warren urges residents to visit www.dontdrillMIlakes.com to find out more about the fight against drilling in the Great Lakes.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Speechless
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 : 4:43 p.m.
To some who oppose Warren's amendment and also want to lift Michigan's existing Great Lakes drilling law — in whole or in part — here's a brief historical reminder about the risks of fooling around with nature for a profitable short-term gain: During the late 19th century, Michigan became a giant lumberyard for the nation. As large-scale lumbering developed and then progressed full force, it was considered all but treasonous to even politely question a jobs-producing industry so clearly profitable. Around the country, Michigan was as well-known for its wood as it would be decades later for its automobiles. By the time the boom years drew to a close, the once richly-abundant virgin forests were nearly extinct statewide. Michigan had by then taken on a rather deforested appearance, not unlike parts of the Amazon region today. As lumber operations closed shop and the big money stopped rolling in, a growing number of state residents began to express public remorse over the astounding loss of countless very large trees in a fairly limited span of time. After-the-fact, it really did seem too bad things happened that way. The nightmarish mess left behind by timber barons would spur Michigan's early conservation efforts. Nonetheless, the expansive state-run forests which have emerged over the last century do not begin to compare in natural majesty to what had been chopped down earlier. So, will a potential few decades of future drilling be worth the risk of major oil spill damage lasting centuries in some of the largest bodies of freshwater in the world? Should the Great Lakes environment risk a heavy price for our refusal to reduce consumption and seriously begin moving away from oil? A constitutional amendment, if passed, will place a strong roadblock in the path of any future state legislature dominated by corporate lobbying money. It greatly restricts the potential for a very dangerous public betrayal of environmental stewardship in the slanted interests of short-term greed.
john q
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 : 2:14 p.m.
I was elated when I find out that Representative Warren is making sure Michiganders do not have to deal with the consequences of Great Lakes oil drilling. I applaud her effort to add a constitutional ban on drilling in the Great Lakes, and I would gladly vote against drilling in November. Michigans residents have already been faced with enough economical challenges. An oil spill in any of the Great Lakes like that of the BP spill would mean lost jobs for Michigans fishing sector and a tremendous loss in tourism dollars from the people who come to this great state to swim, golf, and sail. I support Representative Warrens efforts to add a ban to oil drilling in the Great Lakes, and hope to have the choice to vote against Great Lakes drilling in November!
Michael-David
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 : 9:23 a.m.
The average water molecule in most Michigan water basins is replaced every two years. The Great Lakes water basin is different. The average replacement is every 10,000 years. Once that water is polluted it will stay polluted for many thousands of years. Rebekah Warrens efforts to protect our waters should be praised!
Carole
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 : 8:07 a.m.
No drilling for oil in the Great Lakes for sure -- there are many ways we could be less dependent on oil if we all started looking for "Green" products. Asian Carp - this is a "for real" problem and needs to be tended to immediately. If they arrive in the Lakes, good-bye fisheries and the jobs of many Michiganders, tourism, and many more. Can we please continue to work on this concern and let us "job public" know what actions we can take to ensure that the carp stay out of our marvelous lakes.
Bob W
Fri, Jun 25, 2010 : 7:05 a.m.
A non-existant problem? Yes. Let's keep it that way. While we are at it, ban fracking of Mich gas wells.
jjc155
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 8:34 p.m.
and at a time when I am seeing Mrs Warren's signs out for her re-election bid, lol this may back fire on her, darn.
Linda Peck
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 7:53 p.m.
Thanks! I hope this gets on the ballot! Big no from me for permission to ruin our lakes.
jcj
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 6:18 p.m.
A typical knee jerk reaction from our legislators! They are good at fixing a non-existing problem. But when it comes to fixing some of the real problems they don't have a clue! Do SOMETHING! even if it's wrong as long as it is an easy fix and politically expedient right now!
David Briegel
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 6:05 p.m.
Maybe the carp will eat the oil or the oil will kill the carp? Maybe a think tank can make some money studying the subject. We could form a Blue Ribbon Committee. Sure beats doing SOMETHING!!
jjc155
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 4:47 p.m.
how about we baby step it and take care of the Asian Carp, Gobies, Cormorants and other invasive species in the Great Lakes, which will cause more damage and economic downfall than some currently non-existing oil drill platforms. Maybe someone can post some stats on how many requests there have been in the past to drill in the Michigan Waters of the great lakes. I for one have never heard of anyone wanting to. Not saying I am in favor of drilling in the great lakes (which I am not) but lets work on more pressing issues in Lansing.
katmando
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 3:25 p.m.
Then there are the poeple who want to wait until after it happens to doing anything. If an oil spill happen in the great lakes there is NO cleaning it up. Just look at Alaska they are still cleaning after 20 years!
katmando
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 3:22 p.m.
Closing the Canal is Federal and the states can't do anything about it because BIG Business want to keep it open. For the JOBS!
wardog6d
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 3:02 p.m.
Brilliant! We dont need know stinking jobs! Spend spend spend o and by the way. Your unemployement extension has been denied! IDIOTS
lumberg48108
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 2:40 p.m.
Exactly how many major oil spills from drilling have occured in the Great Lakes? And there is already a ban against it? This is a local politician posturing during an election year - no more and no less! This makes me NOT want to vote for her!
Carl Duncan
Thu, Jun 24, 2010 : 2:27 p.m.
This amendment would only make sense if we had any where near the amount of oil and gas under Lake Michigan that Louisiana has under the Gulf of Mexico. These politicians would rather grand stand than make a serious effort to stop a very real local problem of our own. A 19 pound Asian Carp has been found in Lake Calumet, Illinois. This prize was caught past the electric fish barrier on the Chicago Sanitary Canal and closer to Lake Michigan. It appears the governor is powerless to close the locks on the canal, and wants to take another tack instead--shut down oil drilling on the Great Lakes.