For Immediate Release:
Marta Johnson, marta.a.johnson@gmail.com, 616-617-3677
View the recording HERE.
West Michigan Leaders Push Back on Bad Aggregate Mining Bills
GRAND RAPIDS - State and local elected officials joined together with advocates for a press event to outline current threats to air and water quality in House Bills 4526 - 4528. These bills create an inadequate state regulatory structure for aggregate mining, and because of this they have been opposed and defeated by environmental advocates multiple times.
As currently written, these bills would not require groundwater testing or air quality monitoring that appropriately protects public health. Aggregate mining produces large amounts of cancer-causing silica dust, and it increases the risk of spreading toxic legacy groundwater contamination throughout groundwater resources. These bills also severely restrict local oversight and approval of future aggregate mining operations.
“Democratic leaders did the right thing by TABLING these aggregate mining bills. For that, I would like to sincerely thank Regulatory Reform Chairman, Rep. Tyrone Carter. Now, we will continue to work hard to improve these bills to protect our water, public health & communities.” said Representative Rachel Hood (D - Grand Rapids).
“Retaining proper local oversight for future proposed mining sites is critical. I certainly welcome more expertise and resource sharing from Lansing, but we cannot severely limit local governments from evaluating proposed mining sites. I know constituents want to have a say on proposed activities that could impact their water quality, quality of life and property values,” said Kent County Commissioner Stephen Wooden.
“Working in a county directly impacted by PFAS, with environmental injustices and significant health impacts, makes me especially attentive to water quality issues. At a time when we are moving away from future groundwater contamination with the Kent County Sustainable Business Park, we need to make sure public health advocates and those directly impacted by PFAS pollution have input in these policies as well as business leaders,” said Kent County Commissioner Kris Pachla.
“Mining near groundwater contaminated with PFAS or 1,4-dioxane could change the flow of a contaminated plume and create or increase pollution in communities that use groundwater for their water source. Without strong mandates for water testing and precautions taken in aggregate mining we could expect an increased threat to our waters,” said West Michigan Environmental Action Council Deputy Director, Elaine Sterrett Isely.
Impacted community members also shared their concerns. Sandy Wynn-Stelt from Belmont, Michigan said, “Impacted communities have been working hard on a set of bills to better protect the public from PFAS. It’s beyond disappointing that progress hasn’t been made there and instead house leadership is focused on this. We call upon house leadership to stop this vote and prioritize policy that will protect people from having to experience what I went through.”
Tami Brinkman, a resident of Walkerville Township, was informed that her well water was contaminated with PFAS because of tannery waste spread by the Eagle Ottawa Leather Company throughout the 1990s and up until 2007. She stated, “I recently learned that my own well water is contaminated with PFAS - because of historical contamination that I’m not responsible for. It’s devastating to learn that your own drinking water isn’t safe. This problem is huge - this isn’t just happening to me, it’s something way too many Michiganders are facing. We MUST be helping people dealing with this, NOT making it easier for PFAS contamination to spread throughout groundwater in Michigan.”
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