- Democratic legislators held a press conference at the Capitol on Wednesday, addressing a set of bills to stop the creation of chemically polluted sites and to protect people from harmful pollution
- The package of legislation is labeled "Polluter Pay Laws"
- Speakers addressed multiple topics, including abandoned pollution sites, associated health risks, and economic benefits of this legislation
Transcript:
At a press conference Wednesday, Democratic legislators discussed a new package of bills to combat corporate pollution and keep Michigan clean, by holding those responsible accountable.
They said the state has more than 24,000 known contaminated sites many of which have been abandoned by corporations.
This new package, labeled “Polluter Pay Laws”, would set stricter cleanup standards for chemically contaminated sites, increase transparency with the public, and allow those harmed by pollution to seek justice against these corporations. The legislation would require corporations that handle chemicals to have monetary assurances in place for increased protection against the creation of these polluted sites.
But not everybody is supporting the bills. Opponents say these changes could hurt the economy and keep manufacturers away from the state.
Stay tuned to FOX47 for updates of this proposed legislation.
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