Polluter Accountability (Light)

Michigan currently has more than 24,000 contaminated sites. From 1990 to 1995, Michigan was a national leader in holding corporate polluters accountable thanks to strong “Polluter Pay” laws. During that five year period, Michigan taxpayers saved more than $100 million because corporate polluters were better held accountable for paying for their mess. In 1995, those laws were stripped away and the number of contaminated sites has increased.

SBs 605-611 are a package of seven bills intending to provide accountability for current and future polluters in the state by making companies that pollute pay the cost for clean-up, not taxpayers. The Polluter Pay package will set more stringent cleanup standards, increase transparency, prevent sites from becoming orphaned and make it easier for those harmed by pollution to seek justice. 

The bills that passed the Senate included:

• SB 605:  Improving cleanup standards
• SB 606:  Requiring water to be cleaned up to highest standard possible
• SB 607:  Excluding cleanup criteria from the definition of a rule
• SB 609:  Statute of Limitations for NREPA Emerging Contaminant Claims 
• SB 611:  Statute of Limitations Hazardous Substance Claims based on Discovery Rule