Fwd #4: EM:/ Lawmakers Cheered for Environmental Budget Vote
TJ Patrick
From: David Holtz <da...@progressmichigan.org>
Date: Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Subject: EM:/ Lawmakers Cheered for Environmental Budget Vote
To: enviro Mich <envir...@great-lakes.net>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 Anne Woiwode 517-974-2112
Cyndi Roper 517-490-1394
Lawmakers Applauded For Rejecting DEQ Budget Cuts
Democrats, Lone Republican Showed Courage In Opposing Leader’s Spending Plan
LANSING, MI--Michigan Democratic lawmakers—including those who bucked
their party’s leaders and rejected deep funding cuts to water, air and
land protection programs—were hailed today as heroes by leading
environmental groups. Also singled out for praise was state Sen.
Valde Garcia, a Livingston County Republican who was the lone GOP vote
against the environmental funding cuts.
“The 40 state representatives and 16 senators who voted against the
worst modern-day attack on Michigan environmental programs showed
wisdom, courage and reflected the best of Michigan’s values Tuesday,”
said Anne Woiwode, Michigan Director of Sierra Club. “All of us owe
them our gratitude and respect.”
Cyndi Roper, Michigan Director of Clean Water Action, said the
majority of House Democrats who rejected the all-cuts budget for the
Department of Environmental Quality especially deserve the thanks of
Michigan residents who care about the quality of their water, air and
land. Those 40 representatives stood in opposition to Speaker Andy
Dillon’s proposed budget.
“To quote one of my favorite characters from Harry Potter, ‘It takes a
great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal
more to stand up to your friends,’ “said Roper. “Elected officials
like Rep. Sarah Roberts and Rep. Rebekah Warren showed what real
leadership is all about—doing what’s best for Michigan even if it’s
not popular with their party’s leadership.”
Sierra Club and Clean Water Action have called on the governor to veto
the joint DEQ and Department of Natural Resources budget and said that
if state government fails to fund critical air and water programs in
the days ahead, the federal Environmental Protection Agency should
take over all water and air quality enforcement and permitting
activities. More than $196 million was cut from the joint state
Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Natural
Resources budget.
Fifteen Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Mike Prussi, voted
against the environmental budget cuts. In the House, a majority of
Democrats opposed the cuts. They were:
Rep. Kathy Angerer, Rep. Douglas Geiss, Rep. Burton Leland, Rep. Roy
Schmidt, Rep.Vicki Barnett, Rep. Vincent Gregory, Rep. LaMar Lemmons
Jr., Rep. Bettie Cook Scott, Rep. Joan Bauer, Rep. Jennifer Haase,
Rep. Ellen Lipton, Rep. Dan Scripps, Rep. Timothy Bledsoe, Rep. Harold
Haugh, Rep. Lesia Liss, Rep. Kate Segal, Rep. Lisa Brown, Rep. Mike
Huckleberry, Rep. Mark Meadows, Rep. Dian Slavens, Rep. Pam Byrnes,
Rep. Shanelle Jackson, Rep. Tim Melton, Rep. Alma Smith, Rep. Barb
Byrum, Rep. Bert Johnson, Rep. Fred Miller, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep.
Andy Coulouris, Rep. Robert Jones, Rep. David Nathan, Rep. Mary
Valentine, Rep. Marie Donigan, Rep. Andrew Kandrevas, Rep. Andy
Neumann, Rep. Rebkah Warren, Rep. Fred Durhal Jr., Rep. Deb Kennedy,
Rep. Sarah Roberts, Rep. Coleman Young II
David Holtz
Executive Director
Progress Michigan
da...@progressmichigan.org
313-300-4454 (cell)
Follow Progress Michigan: twitter.com/progressmich
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