Folks, if you live in Michigan, here is an important action to take to ensure the Michigan continues to regulate ballast. Calls are pouring in, please keep them coming!
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
March 1, 2007
Contact: Erin McDonough, Resource Policy Specialist, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, 517-371-1041, emcdonough@mucc.org
Action Alert: Senators Prusi and Richardville open doors to invasive species
Today State Senators Michael Prusi (D) and Randy Richardville (R) said its ok for the shipping industry to keep bringing new invasive species into the Great Lakes. By introducing a bill that would roll back the new ballast water permits put in place on January 1, 2007, the Senators have made it clear that the economic benefits of a $4.5 billion dollar sport fishing industry, the $30 million tax payer dollars spent annually controlling invasive species and the future health of the Great Lakes are not important.
Ten ships have already applied for and received ballast water permits from the DEQ, proving that this process can work if the shipping industry would step to the plate and take responsibility for their discharges. Currently Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana are also looking at implementing a ballast water permit similar to Michigan's. If Michigan backs down now, will other states lose the incentive to implement ballast water controls? Can we afford to let more invasive species and diseases lose in our waters?
Take Action:
Call your state Senator today and tell they you don't appreciate them gambling with the fate of the Great Lakes. Tell them NO to rolling back Michigan's ballast water regulations!
Background:
In less than one generation, aquatic invasive species have radically changed our Great Lakes' ecosystem. Every eight months a new invasive enters our lakes primarily through the discharge of ballast water. Frustrated with the lack of action on the federal level, the 2005 Michigan legislature took the reigns and created the first ballast water permit requirement in the nation. PA 32 and 33 of 2005 prohibit ocean-going vessels from discharging ballast water into Michigan's waters (including the Great Lakes) after January 1, 2007, unless they have a permit issued by the DEQ. This requirement was set after years of study and deliberation. The general permit gives ocean-going vessels the option of installing four commercially available technologies, or choosing to install alternative technologies that have equivalent effectiveness.
Michigan State Senators:
Jason Allen, District 37, 866-525-5637, senjallen@senate.michigan.gov
Glenn Anderson, District 6, 517-373-1707, senatoranderson@senate.michigan.gov
Jim Barcia, District 31, 866-305-2131, senjbarcia@senate.michigan.gov
Raymond Basham, District 8, 517-373-7800, senrbasham@senate.michigan.gov
Patricia Birkholz, District 24, 888-287-2889, senpbirkholz@senate.michigan.gov
Michael Bishop, District 12, 877-924-7467, senmbishop@senate.michigan.gov
Liz Brater, District 18, 866-305-0318, senlbrater@senate.michigan.gov
Cameron Brown, District 16, 866-305-0316, sencbrown@senate.michigan.gov
Nancy Cassis, District 15, 888-38-NANCY, senncassis@senate.michigan.gov
Deborah Cherry, District 26, 866-305-2126, Sendcherry@senate.mi.gov
Irma Clark-Coleman, District 3, 866-747-7803, seniclark-coleman@senate.michigan.gov
Hansen Clarke, District 1, 877-252-7537, senhclarke@senate.michigan.gov
Alan Cropsey, District 33, 866-305-2133, senhclarke@senate.michigan.gov
Valde Garcia, District 22, 800-516-0026, senvgarcia@senate.michigan.gov
Tom George, District 20, 866-305-2120, sentgeorge@senate.michigan.gov
Jud Gilbert, District 25, 877-445-2378, senjgilbert@senate.michigan.gov
John Gleason, District 27, 517-373-0142, senjgleason@senate.michigan.gov
Bill Hardiman, District 29, 866-305-2129
Tupac Hunter, District 5, 517-373-0994, sentahunter@senate.michigan.gov
Gilda Jacobs, District 14, 888-937-4453, sengjacobs@senate.michigan.gov
Mark Jansen, District 28, 517-373-0797, Senmjansen@senate.michigan.gov
Ron Jelinek, District 21, 866-305-2121, senrjeliner@senate.michigan.gov
Roger Kahn, District 32, 517-373-1760, senrkahn@senate.michigan.gov
Wayne Kuipers, District 30, 877-KUIPERS, senwkuipers@senate.michigan.gov
Michelle McManus, District 35, 866-305-2135,
Dennis Olshove, District 9, 517-373-8360, sendolshove@senate.michigan.gov
John Pappageorge, District 13, 517-373-2523, senjpappageorge@senate.michigan.gov
Bruce Patterson, District 7, 866-262-7307, senbpatterson@senate.michigan.gov
Michael Prusi, District 38, 866-305-2038, senmprusi@senate.michigan.gov
Randy Richardville, District 17, 517-373-3543, senrrichardville@senate.michigan.gov
Alan Sanborn, District 11, 888-353-ALAN, senasanborn@senate.michigan.gov
Mark Schauer, District 19, 888-962-6275, senmschauer@senate.michigan.gov
Martha Scott, District 2, 800-SCOTT-78, senmscott@senate.michigan.gov
Tony Stamas, District 36, 866-305-2136, ofctstamas@senate.michigan.gov
Michael Switalski, 866-303-0110, senmswitalski@senate.michigan.gov
Buzz Thomas, District 4, 866-348-6304, senbthomas@senate.michigan.gov
Gerald VanWoerkom, District 34, 866-305-2134, sengvanwoerkom@senate.michigan.gov
Gretchen Whitmer, District 23, 517-373-1734, sengwhitmer@senate.michigan.gov
Michigan United Conservation Clubs is the oldest and largest statewide conservation organization in the nation and has represented the views of millions of hunters, anglers and conservationists since 1937. MUCC has 458 affiliated clubs with over 200,000 members and 53,000 individual members located throughout the state that are all united to promote conservation and the sportsmen's heritage within Michigan. For 70 years, MUCC has successfully worked to accomplish our mission of being The First Voice for Michigan's Great Out-of-Doors.
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