State Senator Sean McCann and State Representative Julie Rogers re-introduced bills on Wednesday to give the state’s environmental agency more power to compel polluters to clean up the damage they cause to Michigan lakes and streams.
The Kalamazoo lawmakers introduced similar bills last year, but those stalled in the Republican-controlled statehouse. The bills likely have a better chance of passing now that Democrats are in control.
“We want to make sure that we've done the due diligence that will hopefully get it to the finish line this time, because we do have the ability to take it up and advance through the chambers, whereas before that wasn't a possibility,” said McCann.
The bills will give the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) more authority to mandate cleanups in the future. They grants emergency powers to EGLE’s director and give the agency the ability to order responsible parties to immediately conduct a cleanup.
“Our legislation is aimed at, moving forward, giving EGLE stronger tools. So that right away when this is happening, it's not going to be a years-long process. It will be speeding up the response, hopefully,” said Rogers.
The bills were written in response to the 2019 Morrow Dam drawdown. Environmental regulators say about 400,000 cubic yards of sediment was released into the Kalamazoo River when the dam’s operator lowered the impoundment behind the dam to repair its gates.
The massive amount of silt and mud that flowed from the Morrow Dam was twelve feet deep in spots and posed a public safety threat to anyone near the river. The mud buried habitat for fish, mussels, turtles and other animals. The silt severely curtailed recreational use of the river.
Through it all, the dam’s owner did little to clean up the mess, eventually abandoned what plans it did have for a cleanup.
In March of 2022, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel sued the company for mismanaging the dam repairs and polluting the river. The case is pending and will likely take several years to be adjudicated.
“I'm frustrated. I'm very frustrated,” said Rogers.
“It has been a very long, slow process, but I am doing my piece. It's making its way through the courts and I'm doing my piece.”
