Fund MI Future coalition calls for immediate passage of new polluter pay legislation

LANSING – Who should pay to clean up toxic messes when businesses pollute Michigan’s environment?  That’s the question being addressed by bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature today. 

Taxpayers should not be responsible for bearing the expense of remediating Michigan’s polluted air, land, or water when that pollution is caused by wealthy corporations, said Clean Water Action Michigan Director Sean McBrearty. 

“For years, Michigan residents have been demanding that our lawmakers hold polluters accountable,” McBrearty said. “This legislation represents a major step forward in ensuring that our government is protecting the health of Michigan residents and our shared environment instead of continuing to protect the corporations that break the rules and pollute our state with impunity.”

McBrearty noted that Michigan has over 24,000 contaminated sites across Michigan – a number that grows with each passing year. “It’s unconscionable that corporations are relying on taxpayers to foot the bill for cleaning up their contamination,” he added. “We call on all Michigan lawmakers to support the immediate passage of these bills.”

Scott Holiday, the Political Director of Detroit Action, said that Michigan once had some of the strongest pollution laws in the nation. But in 1995, then-governor John Engler eliminated a program that held those who owned the land responsible for paying for pollution clean-up. Since then, the state has operated under a patchwork of local environmental rules that are paid for with taxpayer dollars.

“Areas with a significant population of Black and Brown people, such as Detroit, have been subjected to racist land and economic development policies that, over time, have led to industrial operations being disproportionately located in our neighborhoods,” Holiday said. “As a consequence of being in proximity to these toxic industries, our communities suffer a higher rate of illnesses like asthma, lead poisoning, and respiratory issues. Now the government says we should also pay to clean up polluted sites that are killing us. We’re fighting to protect our communities and hold policymakers accountable for ensuring healthier, cleaner cities no matter your zip code.”

Clean Water Action and Detroit Action are members of the Fund MI Future coalition. 

Fund MI Future is a joint effort of grassroots community organizations, labor unions, and policy/research experts working to create shared prosperity for all Michiganders by fully and equitably funding our public services like schools, roads, and clean water.

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