Recent River Spills a call to action to to pass Polluter Pay legislation

LANSING — The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today released the following statement urging the Michigan Legislature to tighten requirements on corporations to ensure they are held financially responsible for toxic pollution they cause.  In the wake of an oil spill in the Rouge River over the weekend and recent hexavalent chromium being dumped into the Huron River, House Democrats today held a press conference on the steps of the Capitol, urging their colleagues to pass Polluter Pay legislation, among other policies before session ends.

“It’s long past time that we hold those that pollute our water financially responsible for cleaning up the messes they make,” said Nick Occhipinti, Government Affairs Director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “It should be big polluters, not taxpayers, who foot the bill for cleaning up contamination. This is a litmus test for all Lansing  lawmakers that reflect whose side you’re on – pass Polluter Pay legislation.”

The call to pass the legislation comes after an oil spill in the Rouge River occurred over the weekend and the Huron River narrowly dodged a significant hexavalent chromium spill from Tribar Manufacturing in Wixom. Michigan is home to 24,000 contaminated sites across the state, many of them orphaned sites with no party able to be held accountable. Passing polluter pay will free up more money for the state to be able to get to work cleaning up these sites and protecting our water.