Senators Hopgood, Pappageorge, Meekhof, Proos, Jones, Warren, Bieda and Anderson offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 98.

            A resolution to urge the state of New York to reject appeals to weaken its ballast water standards.

            Whereas, For several years, Michigan and New York have both fought for practical and effective regulations to protect the Great Lakes from damaging invasive species transported in the ballast water of oceangoing vessels; and

            Whereas, In 2005, New York, Michigan, and a coalition of other Great Lakes states and environmental organizations prevailed in a lawsuit to force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to regulate ballast water discharge. Earlier this year, New York and Michigan again partnered in litigation involving ballast water discharges that upheld the EPA’s duty to incorporate state water quality standards into its vessel general permit; and

            Whereas, More than 180 aquatic invasive species, including fish, plants, invertebrates, and fish diseases, have entered the Great Lakes, and ballast water from oceangoing vessels is responsible for the vast majority of them; and

            Whereas, Zebra mussels, one of the most damaging and costly invasives, arrived in the Great Lakes via ballast water in the late 1980s and now cost U.S. taxpayers up to $5 billion annually. This invasive species not only affects the Great Lakes, but now colonizes at least 225 of Michigan’s inland lakes and several rivers, where they have upset ecosystems, threatened native wildlife, damaged structures, and caused other serious problems; and

            Whereas, In addition to the four Great Lakes that largely define the borders of Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, our state has over 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles of rivers and streams. Our natural resources and especially our waterways, which provide premier boating and fishing opportunities, are critical to Michigan’s $15 billion annual tourism industry; and

            Whereas, Strong ballast water standards, including those currently approved by New York, are required to prevent irreparable harm to Michigan’s natural resources, to our highly-regarded fishing industry, and, ultimately, to tourism in our state; and

            Whereas, Until there is an effective and strong federal standard for ballast water, it is up to individual states to protect their waterways; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we applaud the state of New York for its leadership in developing an effective ballast water discharge standard, and we urge New York to reject appeals to weaken its standards and allow this important environmental protection to go into effect in 2013; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the state of New York, the Clerk of the New York Assembly, and the Secretary of the New York Senate for distribution to the members of each legislative chamber.