Proposed MDEQ Budget
Threatens Public Health
|
For
Immediate Release:
May 8, 2003
|
Contacts:
James
Clift, (517) 487-9539
Cyndi Roper (616) 742-4084
|
Lansing
-- A key State House Committee's action yesterday will require
deep cuts in public oversight of some of the state's worst
polluters. The bill includes cutbacks in permit enforcement,
inspections at hazardous waste facilities and monitoring for
toxic air pollutants. If upheld by the full Legislature, the
House Appropriation Subcommittee on Natural Resources and
Environmental Quality cuts will result in the layoff of as
many 120 employees at the Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) and the loss of over $15 million in federal matching
funds.
The Committee
report rejected the Governor's request to require water polluters
to pay fees covering the costs permit issuance, monitoring
and enforcement. "A critical component of Granholm's
budget proposal was the elimination of free permits given
to polluters for water pollution discharges into our lakes
and streams," stated Cyndi Roper, Michigan Director of
Clean Water Action. Instead the subcommittee places the burden
on taxpayers to subsidize these polluters."
General
fund support for the MDEQ has dropped from $101 million in
2001 to $51 million in the bill reported by the subcommittee.
"This department's capacity to protect public health
has been slashed to levels we have not seen in over thirty
years," stated Lana Pollack, President of the Michigan
Environmental Council (MEC). "The public is under the
general impression that the MDEQ is protecting communities
from environmental contamination - it's not going to be the
case under this budget," stated Pollack.
The proposed
budget includes reduction in rent payments by over $2 million
that the department has no ability to reduce in the short
term. Those cuts will need to be absorbed through layoffs
and the curtailment of program activities, such as environmental
investigations and cleanups.
"Given
this latest round of cuts, violations of our environmental
laws could go undetected for years," stated James Clift,
Policy Director of the Michigan Environmental Council. "Under
the proposed budget, the public will be threatened with undetected
risks like the dioxin contamination of the Tittabawassee and
Saginaw Rivers, and PCB contamination of canals in Lake St.
Clair."
Major
components of cuts to the MDEQ Budget
-
Many
of the funds cut are used to match federal funds. The cuts
will result in losses of over $15 million in available grant
money, including money for drinking water system and sewer
upgrades, non-point source water pollution, and radon detection.
-
Will
be considered a bait-and-switch by the taxpayers who voted
to approve $1 billion for sewer upgrades, only to have the
legislature cut general fund support for the program - and
fail to match federal funds they are matched $4 federal
money for each $1 dollar the state places in the fund.
-
Does
no favors for businesses that will return to the days of
long permit backlogs - making it harder for Michigan to
attract investment.
-
May
result in certain programs, such as the NPDES (water discharge)
program having to be taken over by the EPA due to the state's
failure to operate a credible program.
-
Makes
$2 million dollars in cuts in rent ($1.7 to pay state bonds
for state buildings, and $350,000 in private rent) - that
cannot be reduced in the short-term, and will require cuts
to other programs.
-
Cuts
to the hazardous waste and solid waste program will reduce
the inspection of waste generated within the state, and
from outside our borders.
-
Cuts
in the air toxic monitoring program - including monitoring
for mercury and dioxin - go back on promises made to businesses
that support the other costs in this division through the
payment of $10 million in user fees.
-
Cuts
public's access to information on the Internet.
-
Continues
the policy of free permits to discharges of water pollution
into our Great Lakes.
