Statement from state Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet)) on his vote against DEQ bills creating new panels that erode the state’s ability to fight and prevent pollution:

LANSING —— Today, the House of Representatives voted out Senate Bills 652-654, which create new panels and gives them new powers to oversee the DEQ and its permitting and rule-making process. In response, state Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet), who voted against the bills, issued the following statement:

“These bills creating new rule-making and permitting panels just create a bigger government bureaucracy that will get in the way of making good government policy. We already hand out corporate welfare, and now we are handing corporations the keys by opening up these panels to corporate members. These bills are not the way to protect our natural resources for communities that depend on them for their livelihood and our children. I voted against these bills because our natural resources are too important to my communities and all Michiganders.”