ICDP's Friends Celebrating Tonight in Midland and Saginaw Counties

When we invited the leaders of the Lone Tree Council to Mount Pleasant in October to explain their battle to clean up the Tittabawassee River from years of dixoin contamination, we had no idea that Republican legislators would be working closely with the state's largest polluters to water down Michigan pollution enforcement.

Just like the Bush adminstration diluted federal efforts on controlling air pollution by calling it the "Clear Skies Initiative," cynical state Republican legislators labeled HB 4617, "The Homeowner Fairness Act." The Lone Tree Council asked for our help and we responded with e-mails and phone calls to the governor, reminding her we wanted her to continue to be a champion of the environment.

We were not alone in asking the governor to veto HB 4617. The Detroit Free Press ran an editorial in this morning's paper supporting our position and the position of the Lone Tree Council in opposition to the HB 4617 that squeaked through the Republican controlled House and Senate.

Today the governor vetoed the bill. Meanwhile Republicans in Washington are seeking new measures to gut federal water pollution regulations. We should take a moment to celebrate and thank the governor for her part. Then let's get to work in 2006. Another battle is coming.