Bipartisan budget deal a massive win for our water, health, infrastructure

LANSING — The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today released a statement following the Michigan House’s passage of Senate Bill 565, a major supplemental budget bill that will dedicate $4.7 billion to clean up and protect our water, fund state and local parks, repair roads and bridges, remove lead pipes and more.

“This bipartisan bill represents the single-greatest investment in our history toward protecting our water and addressing critical drinking water contamination that is threatening the health of communities across the state,” said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “This transformational investment demonstrates yet again that protecting our water is not a partisan issue, and ensuring all Michiganders – urban, suburban and rural – have access to clean, safe drinking water is paramount to our future. We applaud lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for standing up for our water.”

The sweeping bill includes a number of priorities, including:

• $515 million for wastewater and stormwater upgrades
• $750 million for drinking water infrastructure improvement projects
• $50 million for drinking water filters in schools and childcare facilities
• $88.2 million to address emerging contaminants, like toxic PFAS contaminants in storm and wastewater
• $35 million to address failing septic systems
• $15 million for cleaning up an old paper Mill contaminated by PFAS in Muskegon County
• $8.6 million to clean up PFAS and other contaminants in Iosco County
• $138.8 million to replace lead service lines, including $45 million in Benton Harbor and $75 million in Detroit
• $50 million for energy efficiency, health, and safety improvements in low-income housing
• $25 million for electric vehicle (EV) industry support and pilot programs
• $450 million for local and state parks and trails.