{"id":5371,"date":"2020-07-28T05:23:55","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T05:23:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/senatedems.com\/mccann\/?p=5371"},"modified":"2024-06-06T15:38:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T19:38:47","slug":"state-senator-sean-mccann-july-202-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.senatedems.com\/mccann\/2020\/07\/28\/state-senator-sean-mccann-july-202-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"STATE SENATOR SEAN MCCANN|ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS FOR OUR STATE AND COMMUNITIES NEWSLETTER"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dear Neighbor,<\/span><\/p>\n

It is an honor to serve the people of Kalamazoo County in the State Capitol in Lansing every day, where I make environmental protections for our community one of my top priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the Democratic Vice Chair of the subcommittees in charge of the budgets for the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, it is critical to me that we preserve our natural resources \u2014 especially our drinking water.<\/span><\/p>\n

This newsletter contains updates on drinking water legislation, threats to our Great Lakes, news about renewable energy, how I\u2019m working hard to hold polluters accountable, and much more.<\/span><\/p>\n

If I can be of assistance to you at any time, you can always reach me through email at <\/span>SenSMcCann@senate.michigan.gov <\/b>or by phone at <\/span>(517) 373-5100<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sean McCann<\/span>
<\/span>State Senator<\/span><\/p>\n

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Toll-free: (855) 347-8020 District: (269) 381-7158<\/b>
<\/b>Website:<\/b> SenSeanMcCann.com<\/b><\/a>
<\/b>SenSMcCann@senate.michigan.gov<\/b><\/p>\n

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Expanding Michigan’s<\/strong> <\/span>Bottle Deposit Law<\/b><\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s current bottle deposit law is one of our state\u2019s most successful policies, and I believe we could see even more success by expanding the policy to include most other beverage containers like water bottles. That\u2019s why I introduced Senate Bill 701 to do this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ever since the bottle deposit law was enacted in 1976, we have successfully reduced roadside litter and created a culture of recycling among Michigan residents. By further expanding our law to include most other beverage containers, we can keep our roadside areas and lakes clean, while also promoting recycling to future generations<\/span><\/p>\n

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS FOR OUR STATE AND COMMUNITIES<\/b><\/h4>\n

Kalamazoo is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. Kalamazoo is equidistant from the major American cities of Chicago and Detroit, each less than 150 miles away.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Protecting Our Drinking Water<\/span><\/p>\n

Michigan is home to our nation\u2019s largest reserve of fresh drinking water. It is imperative that we safeguard it from pollutants and protect it for generations to come. This is why I have introduced several bills, including Senate Bills 103 and 365, to hold polluters accountable.<\/span><\/p>\n

Senate Bill 103 would repeal a law that forbids our state from setting environmental rules stricter than federal guidelines. Michigan has historically established tough environmental regulations, particularly on emerging pollutants like PFAS. However, corporate lobbyists and polluters have wielded more influence than environmental scientists in the past decade, creating a troublesome \u2018fox guarding the henhouse\u2019 situation. We simply cannot afford to have corporate polluters at the table making the rules they believe they should play by. The cost to the public\u2019s health and the price tag for environmental cleanup is simply too great.<\/span><\/p>\n

Senate Bill 365 would repeal a 2018 \u2018lame-duck session\u2019 law which made<\/span>
<\/span>it harder for the state to protect communities from corporate polluters. Michigan residents should be able to trust that officials are using state-of-the-art cleanup standards and the latest data to protect them and their neighborhoods. This bill would ensure polluters are held financially accountable, so taxpayers don\u2019t later have to foot the bill for a corporation\u2019s recklessness.<\/span><\/p>\n

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ADDRESSING PFAS At Home<\/span><\/p>\n

Michigan has more than 80 PFAS-contaminated sites, with several sites in Kalamazoo County, including Parchment, Oshtemo Township, Richland, Portage, and Kalamazoo.<\/span><\/p>\n

PFAS are persistent, toxic \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 that build up over time and become concentrated in animals and humans. It\u2019s critical that we find, isolate, and clean up every PFAS-contaminated site in our state.<\/span><\/p>\n

PFAS compounds are harmful to our health and have been known to:<\/b><\/p>\n