LANSING – State Representative Dan Scripps (D-Leland) today reaffirmed his stance that the oversight of Michigan's wetlands should remain the responsibility of the people of Michigan. A member of the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee, Scripps also heard public testimony this morning on the Governor's proposal to transfer the supervision of Michigan's wetlands to the federal government.
"Building on the legacy of Governor William G. Milliken, Michigan's land protection laws remain a national model," Scripps said. "These protections have played a vital role in the great strides Michigan has made in preserving our wetlands and any change has the potential to put our water at risk. I take great pride in being a responsible steward of our waters and preserving this law will ensure our natural resources can be enjoyed for generations to come."
Due to budget concerns, the Governor has proposed eliminating the 30-year old Wetland Protection Actand shifting oversight of Michigan's 5.5 million acres of wetlands from the DEQ to the federal government. Michigan and New Jersey are the only states that manage their own wetland laws, as well as federal laws; however, all but one of the Great Lakes states have some form of wetlands protections.
Shifting control to the federal government would save the state an estimated $2.1 million. If the legislature follows the Governor's proposal, the Great Lakes State would be one of just two Great Lakes States without any wetlands protections.
"The price of abandoning Michigan's wetland protection laws will be greater than the cost to keep them," Scripps said. "The negative effects of less oversight of our wetlands will eventually trickle down to our rivers, lakes, streams and other natural resources. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that Michigan can continue to properly watch over its wetlands."