Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on February 17, 2005, to establish a rural community advisory "roundtable" comprised of representatives of named interest groups selected by the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, to discuss with the DEQ in public twice each year how the laws, rules, and policies it administers affect farmers, food processors, agribusiness, and rural communities

The vote was 37 in favor, 0 opposed and 1 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 74 at Senate Journal 33)

Click here to view bill details.

What is the point in not requiring reps. from environmental organizations. That seems shady to oppose that.

Rep. Bieda, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: While there is much merit in Senate Bill 226, I voted 'no' because the bill failed to include members of the environmental community in the formal discussion of how the laws, rules, and policies administered by the by the DEQ affect agricultural communities and agricultural producers. I also believe that the bill should have also included a directive that the Agricultural and Rural Communities Roundtable assess how concentrated animal feeding operations affect the quality of life, property values, and the environment, including but not limited to water quality, in agricultural communities. Since the bill did not include these very important concerns, I voted no on SB 226."

Rep. Kathleen Law, having reserved the right to explain her protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: I voted No on Senate Bill 226 which would add Part 23 (Agriculture and the Environment) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. It requires the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to convene an agriculture and rural communities roundtable to discuss how the laws, rules, and policies administered by the DEQ and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) affect farmers, food processors, agribusiness, rural counties, and cities, villages, and townships in rural counties (counties with a population under 70,000). It would be beneficial to have the DEQ meet with farmers and agribusiness representatives to discuss how their regulations are adversely impacting agriculture, the county population threshold of 70,000 excludes Wayne County and the 17 Million dollar industry represented by our farmers. Wayne County is #2 in the production of domestic ducks in the State and inclusion in a DEQ Agricultural roundtable rather than exclusion from participation is preferred"

Rep. Hood, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: I voted no on SB 226 because this bill is just one more attack on the DEQ. It is interesting to note that this bill comes soon after the implementation of a comprehensive set of administrative rules that regulate the storage and disposal of manure on large factory farms and prohibits manure from running into rivers and streams. If such a discussion is going to take place then the environmental community should also be involved. Furthermore, the bill is far too limited in scope by defining rural counties as those having a population of 70,000 or less. The bill advocates a discussion of the laws, rules, and policies administered by the DEQ that affect farmers, food processors, and agribusiness. Agriculture has a significant presence in every county in Michigan. This restriction eliminates nearly half of Michigan counties from this discussion. Supporters of the bill have not been able to provide a rational argument for this arbitrary number."

Rep. Waters, having reserved the right to explain her protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement: "Mr. Speaker and members of the House: I voted no on SB 226 because this bill is just one more attack on the DEQ. It is interesting to note that this bill comes soon after the implementation of a comprehensive set of administrative rules that regulate the storage and disposal of manure on large factory farms and prohibits manure from running into rivers and streams. If such a discussion is going to take place then the environmental community should also be involved. Furthermore, the bill is far too limited in scope by defining rural counties as those having a population of 70,000 or less. The bill advocates a discussion of the laws, rules, and policies administered by the DEQ that affect farmers, food processors, and agribusiness. Agriculture has a significant presence in every county in Michigan. This restriction eliminates nearly half of Michigan counties from this discussion. Supporters of the bill have not been able to provide a rational argument for this arbitrary number."

Here we go again. Another commission. We don't need all these commissions and more government intervention.