Environmental bill creates commission

In a unanimous vote, the state House passed state Rep. Liz Brater's bill last week to establish a comprehensive environmental report program that environmentalists are commending across the state.

Brater's bill creates a commission to produce one single report to account for the millions of dollars appropriated each year for environmental issues. This report will help legislators make more informed decisions for the future, said Brater (D-Ann Arbor), who considers the bill "fiscally conservative."

"The problem we have now is that we're collecting a lot of data but not reporting it in a clear and accessible way," Brater said. "It's especially important that we have this record of what happened in the past since we're spending over $600 million on the environment."

The bill, which the state senate will debate in the coming weeks, calls for a collection of indicators for toxic releases, air quality, surface water quality, drinking water, solid waste, hazardous waste and other areas yet to be determined.

State Rep. Jessie Dalman (R-Holland) said the bill received bipartisan support because it meets general environmental interests.

"I normally don't like to add work for the bureaucracy, but we need a comprehensive report for manufacturers and citizens interests," Dalman said. "If you're going to use it as a tool, it needs to be comprehensive."

SNRE senior Mona Hanna, who is currently organizing the University's Environmental Theme Semester, said Brater's bill marks a stride for the environmental movement.

"The access to such information provides people, including students, the tools needed to effectively organize around certain environmental issues," Hanna said. "Overall, I think this is a positive move which will not only benefit Michigan citizens, but will also strengthen environmental organizing."

State Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann Arbor), said that although recent laws have harmed Michigan's environment, the bill would get the state back on track.

"In my district, the environment has always been an important issue," Schroer said. "We appreciate it a lot. We've done a lot of damage to the environment through the audit bill that says that if you're a business you can fix pollution on your own. We've lowered our standards on pollution and clean-up.

"This bill will shed some light on where we are."

Brater said 37 other states have started similar projects, and the federal government will produce its own environmental report.

"It's important for the state of Michigan to have its own program so that we can be active in setting up the federal program," Brater said.

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