LANSING — State Sen. Sean McCann (D–Kalamazoo) today introduced a bill that would protect communities from corporate polluters.

Senate Bill 365 would repeal Public Act 581 of 2018, which opened the door to weakened pollution cleanup standards when it was passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Snyder last December.

“Last year’s lame duck legislation was developed and pushed through at the last minute with the express intent to put corporations first, not the people of our state. Our residents should be able to trust that Michigan’s cleanup standards will use the latest data and go far enough to protect them from PFAS, lead and other toxins,” Sen. McCann said. “This bill would restore our flexibility to address the unique needs of each community and keep families safe.”

Before it was signed into law, PA 581 was publicly opposed by a group of experts at the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. They warned in a rare letter that the change would force staff to use outdated science to evaluate contaminated sites and threaten the health and safety of the people of Michigan.

This week’s legislation is the latest of Sen. McCann’s efforts to clean up our drinking water and protect communities from toxic contamination.

“Companies that pollute must be held accountable so that the costs of environmental cleanup efforts do not get passed on to future generations of taxpayers,” Sen. McCann said.

Earlier this year, the senator introduced Senate Bill 103 to repeal another lame duck bill signed into law last December. Public Act 602 of 2018 prohibits the state from setting standards that implement the best science and practices to safeguard Michigan’s water resources.

###