LANSING — Today, the House of Representatives voted out Senate Bills 652-654, which create new oversight panels and gives them new powers to oversee the DEQ and its permitting process. In response, Democratic Floor Leader Rep. Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills) issued the following statement:
“Michigan’s natural resources — including the Great Lakes, our woodlands and wetlands, our groundwater and our air — are as precious as they are vulnerable and finite. Our natural resources attract millions of visitors to our state each year and provide thousands of jobs, but they will only continue to do so for as long as we are careful stewards of our environment. These bills will likely result in permitting boards comprised of corporate lobbyists more interested in making a quick buck over the long-term quality of our resources. It puts the future of our state’s resources in jeopardy and I cannot support any legislation that would do that.”