For the second straight year, Michigan lawmakers are pushing for new legislation that would hold the state's worst polluters more accountable for their environmentally damaging actions.
Last year, Michigan Democrats attempted to pass "polluter pays" legislation, but it stalled after passing the state Senate. Lawmakers are gearing up again, however, and Inside Climate News reported that the bill will be reintroduced in June — with a few changes. Notably, the legislation will first focus on the largest, most heavily polluted sites.
"How can we work around the edges of the law so as not to fundamentally change its approach, but nonetheless get better results?" state Sen Jeff Irwin told Inside Climate News. "The idea is to require better cleanups of contaminated land and discourage companies from leaving a mess in the first place."
Michigan had a polluter pays law that was dismantled in 1995, putting the onus on taxpayers to cover cleanup costs. In 1998, voters approved nearly $400 million in funding to clean up contaminated sites, according to Clean Water Action.
If the law passes, companies and industries that have contributed to the state's tens of thousands of toxic sites will foot the bill for cleanup, which could cost billions of dollars. Despite polls showing overwhelming public support, passing the bill could be a tough battle, as industry leaders will fight to avoid paying these costs.
"There are industrial accidents that haven't been cleaned up because it's cheaper to lobby the legislature than clean up contaminated sites," Sean McBrearty of Michigan Clean Water Action told Inside Climate News.
Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home's indoor air quality?
Michigan could join a small but growing number of states with dedicated polluter pays laws. Last year, New York passed legislation that created a "superfund" paid by dirty energy companies, with funds going toward efforts to halt global warming trends.
Vermont also passed a superfund bill, but national business and oil groups challenged it in federal court. And an $80 million lobbying campaign in California halted the progress of a polluter pays bill, although some lawmakers are working to pass the legislation this year.
|
Should the government be allowed to control how restaurants run their business? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Never 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
