Environmental groups say legislation headed for Governor Rick Snyder’s desk would hurt the Great Lakes. The groups plan to urge the governor to veto the bill.
The bill involves ballast water. That’s water large ships collect to help stabilize their vessel. The ships gather the water in one region, taking plant and animal species with them, and then when the ship doesn’t need the water, it dumps it someplace else.
The bill loosens the treatment regulations on that water before it’s dumped into the Great Lakes. The bill sat for months, but after some amendments were made, it passed.
Nicholas Occhipinti is with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
“Improvements were made to the bill, but it’s just not good enough for the Great Lakes.”
Snyder’s spokesperson says he hasn’t seen the final version of the bill yet. The bill has yet to be formally presented to the governor, who then would have 14 days to sign or veto it.
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—Cheyna Roth is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
