House Bill 5095 would eliminate Michigan’s ballast water pollution standards, adopting weaker U.S. Coast Guard standards

LANSING – Today, Michigan LCV responded to the passage of House Bill 5095 by the Michigan Senate on a vote of 25 to 11 with the following statement:

The Michigan Legislature has decided to approve a bill to weaken standards designed to prevent aquatic invasive species from entering the Great Lakes,” said Charlotte Jameson, government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “It is now up to Governor Snyder to make sure our Great Lakes are not left defenseless by this shortsighted plan, either by fixing the bill or rejecting it altogether. Michiganders are counting on him to protect the waterways that drive our economy and make Michigan a great place to call home.”

House Bill 5095 — which would weaken Michigan’s ballast water pollution standards that were passed in 2005 with near unanimous bipartisan support — is sponsored by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township).  The bill was approved last week by the Michigan House on a vote of 66 to 42, both the House vote and today’s Senate vote saw both bipartisan opposition and support.