# Republicans Vote to Remove Great Lakes Coastal Protections



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Michigan House Votes to Remove Great Lakes Coastal Protections

Michigan's House of Representatives voted on Thursday to remove coastal protections critical to the health of the Great Lakes. In what was called the "first major vote by the new legislature" by James Clift of the Michigan Environmental Council, HB 4257 passed the House of Representative on a vote of 63 to 43. Next the Senate will hear SB 244.

This Bill will allow, without any oversight or environmental review, the mechanized plowing, disking, mowing and the leveling of the bottom on most of the 3,288 miles of shoreline and coastal wetlands between the ordinary high watermark and the waters edge of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior public trust bottomlands.

HB 4257 allows riparian property owners to use bulldozers, tractors, and other machinery to destroy Great Lakes bottomlands and coastal wetlands exposed by the normal water fluctuation of the Great Lakes - all without any public review.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Thats a crock. Did it make it to the Senate yet? Lets just destroy the entire coastline. What good are those lousy Bullrushes anyhow?? 
I think I am going to be ill.


----------



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

The House rejected compromise legislation that allowed for lake access, the mowing of vegetation, and the leveling of sand in non-vegetated areas. The letter was also circulated from the EPA that stated that passage of the bill could result in the loss of up to $3 million in coastal zone management funds from the federal government. This Republican bill was a 100% anti fishing, anti hunting, anti environmental, anti-Michigan bill promoted by the lowest corrupt slimeballs of the earth. Governor Granholm will have to demonstrate the integrity to veto the Republican slimeballs.


----------



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Next up will be Senate Bill 244. That bill will create a list of the senate slimeballs.

SB244
http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/billintroduced/senate/pdf/2003-SIB-0244.pdf


----------



## Ricky Missum (Jan 10, 2003)

WoW!
Republicans right here in our great state making in perfectly clear they could care less about the hunting and fishing public! Everybody needs to have a clear memory when they go to the polls and vote! The next time someome tells you to vote the Republican ticket because they support hunting and fishing, tell them right where they can stick it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

I'd really like to hear how Rush and his ilk would twist and turn this and make it sound like a GOOD thing!


----------



## Pinefarm (Sep 19, 2000)

I'm sure there's more to it. Does this allow land owners to use their land?


----------



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Our efforts must now turn to the Senate including Sen. Ken Sikkema needs to be made aware that a growing number of people are deeply alarmed that the House has voted to role back significant coastal protections.

The Bill in the Senate is know as SB 244. It is first being heard by the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Patricia Birkholz. Our efforts now need to focus on making sure this Bill is: 1) Never heard in Committee, and 2) If it is heard in committee it needs to be defeated. Below is the contact information of the committee members. Please contact them as soon as possible.

Kenneth K. Sikkema
Republican of District 28
Office Phone: (517) 373-0797
Office Location: S-106 Capitol
E-mail Address: [email protected]

NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS
Patricia L. Birkholz, Chair
Republican of District 24 (Allegan, Barry, Eaton Counties)
Office Phone: (517) 373-3447
Office Location: 805 Farnum Building
E-mail Address: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>

Raymond E. Basham
Democrat of District 8 (Wayne County, downriver area)
Office Phone: (517) 373-7800
Office Location: 715 Farnum Building
E-mail Address: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>

Liz Brater
Democrat of District 18 (Washtenaw County)
Office Phone: (517) 373-2406
Office Location: 510 Farnum Building
E-mail Address: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>

Bruce Patterson
Republican of District 7 (Waune County, downriver area)
Office Phone: (517) 373-7350
Office Location: 505 Farnum Building
E-mail Address: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>

Gerald VanWoerkom
Republican of District 34 (Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Newago Counties)
Office Phone: (517) 373-1635
Office Location: 420 Farnum Building
E-mail Address: [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>


----------



## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

> _Originally posted by [email protected] _
> *I'm sure there's more to it. Does this allow land owners to use their land? *


Thats my thinking on this as well.

I used to live on the St. Mary's, and the myriad of laws was about enough to drive a person batty. For instance: Used to mow the grass to the high-water mark, but when the levels dropped 3+ feet that became a no-no.

Can't til the soil for a garden too close to the river, either. 'Shoreline destruction' they called it.

Jump through this hoop and that hoop to put in a dock.

As always, these type laws affected the little guys. Wanna talk about true shoreline erosion and destruction of habitat? Lets focus our attention on the lake freighters: When one goes by, the water line recedes 15-20+ feet, then rapidly comes swooshing back in to erode the shoreline. Imagine what it does to fish spawning beds. Or how about all the crap exotics that have been introduced in ballast water, etc?

I'm all for protecting the natural resources of this state with _common-sense_ laws, providing that they apply to everyone. As it stands now, big-business and the rich will *always* be able to circumvent the rules.

I could go on and on... but for now I'll stop.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

> _Originally posted by Eastern Yooper _
> *Thats my thinking on this as well.
> 
> 
> ...


Shorelines werent meant for manicured lawns, and in their natural state, with mature flora (Bullrushes, etc.) are very resistant to erosion,the root structure will help firmly anchor the soil in place, and provide a heck of a lot more habitat than a putting green to the waters edge. It is mans intervention that causes the problems. A freighter creates less wave action that a good Noreaster. The shoreline below the high water mark is everybodies concern, not best left to the interests of those that would undermine the entire ecosystem so they can have an unobstructed access to the water. It is funny, (or pathetic) people think nothing about the shoreline on a lake yet are very concerned about encroachment on their favorite trout streams floodplain.


----------



## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

It tickles me to see those "Sportman for ***) campaign stickers. I thought sportman should be 'for' good habitat, clean water and clean air. The person to whom those stickers refer is selling our resources out to the highest bidder and has a staff who's only concern is making party contributors happy.
The Republicans short-sighted view of our environment may well cost them the majority seats in two years.
I'm no eco-weenie but appreciate good stewardship of OUR land, water and air!


----------



## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

I think the point he was trying to make Paul is laws are passed that causes an individual landowner to jump through hoops to put in a dock, yet what has caused greater changes in the Great Lakes Basin? A lawn? ballast dumpings? How about industry being allowed to build all along a shoreline for miles upon miles? Industry has trampled nature for 100 years, yet don't dig a garden to close to a shoreline or you have the EPA or whatever agency is trying to find work to justify it's existance jumping down your throat.



> The Republicans short-sighted view of our environment may well cost them the majority seats in two years.


I highly doubt it Jackster. Most sensible Americans roll their eyes at the extremists enviro-Nazi rants of the sky is falling.


----------



## Jackster1 (Aug 17, 2001)

>>I highly doubt it Jackster. Most sensible Americans roll their eyes at the extremists enviro-Nazi rants of the sky is falling.<<

Very original comeback. The term enviro-Nazi is supposed to stifle debate. It might work for some, but not for me. I grew tired of those buzz phrases when 'bashing' was used to deter anything said that was critical of the Japanese or 'racist' was used whenever Coleman didn't get his way.
There are certainly extremes on both ends of the environmental issue, from the tree-huggers out west to the no-thought-of-the-future ditto-heads.
You are right, Most people 'roll their eyes' at extremists on both sides of an issue. That's why I LOVE the freedom of being a moderate!


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

The permits to put in a dock (at least on the Great Lakes and connecting waters) come from the Army Corps Of Engineers. I believe it is the DEQ that regulates the on shore aspects of "Improvements". Yes industry has done more than it's fair share of pillaging the environment, but I hardly see that as an excuse for private individuals to continue the process. To use the old saw, "Two wrongs don't make a right".
Geez Jim, I always thought I was fairly conservative, You make me feel like I need a hammer and sickle bumpersticker......

I won't even touch the enviro nazi comment......


----------



## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

> I hardly see that as an excuse for private individuals to continue the process


Lol, I knew you were going to say that Paul. I understand what your saying though. I'll agree it has gotten much harder for big business to do whatever they want regarding land usage, but with deep pockets they usually win out, where as the little guy will just give up. Yet which causes greater lasting damage.


Jackster--whatever!......


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

You're no fun Jim, I was itching for a knock down drag out....
I hate to agree with you but yes, industry has the potential to cause a lot of insidious problems with the environment,however the percentage of the shoreline controlled by industry is a drop in the bucket compared to that under private control.


----------



## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

Na,no knockdown dragout here....I have these two pictures in the head. One, Great Lakes Steel, or whatever their called now, with piles upon piles of rusting crap, drippy pipes leading into the river, the smell that would kill a possusm, falling down rusty breakwalls, freight engines putting out black soot moving slag cars or whatever it is. Yet it's been permitted to operate for how many years along the river........Second picture, you have Eastern Yooper wanting a garden to grow watermelons a few feet too close to the river, so that's not permitted because of erosion.....It's just a matter of property rights. Youz pays the taxes, youz gots the rights, and these self important make work agencies can just pi** right on off. They just pick on the people with the shallowest pockets.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

> _Originally posted by Jimbos _
> *One, Great Lakes Steel, or whatever their called now, with piles upon piles of rusting crap, drippy pipes leading into the river, the smell that would kill a possusm, falling down rusty breakwalls, freight engines putting out black soot moving slag cars or whatever it is. Yet it's been permitted to operate for how many years along the river........ *


Off the subject, but what the heck is a ZUG anyhow????LOL


----------



## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

Does that name fit or what???? Zug??? W.T.F.??? A place guaranteed to destroy a cars paint job in 6 months.

Oh well, I hear the perch fishing is great under the rotting bob-lo boats docked right there.


----------



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Zug Island, home of Great Lakes Steel......for the rest of you guys.
Bring your own air supply.
I know guys who work there who have one vehicle for off work hours and a beater to drive to work, none of the work cars have any paint on them.......but it's good for the economy..LOL thank God the prevailing wind direction blesses Windsor with most of that lovely fallout. It's only fair.


----------

