A Bi-Weekly Publication Friday March 11, 2005

				In This Issue: · REP. PALMER RE-INTRODUCES BAD WETLAND BILLS · MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT HEARS ORAL ARGUMENTS IN "BEACH WALKING" CASE · MDEQ WETLAND JOB POSTING · SIGNUP FOR NWF SWANCC LISTSERV REPRESENTATIVE PALMER RE-INTRODUCES BAD WETLAND BILLS Like zombies rising from their graves, foaming at the mouth and headed straight for the nearest "isolated" or coastal wetland, House Bills 4372 and 4373 (killed last year as HB 6066 and HB 5945 respectively) have been re-introduced by State Representative Brian Palmer. While we have no indication that these bills will move, Michigan's wetland advocates must be ready to voice our opposition should the need arise. HB 4372 – This bill would change the definition of "wetland" in the Wetland Protection Act by linking the definition directly to the federal (Section 404 of the Clean Water Act) definition. While this may sound innocuous, it would require a complete overhaul of the wetland program and could have the effect of restricting DEQ's jurisdiction over "isolated" wetlands. The bill also sharply discriminates against local units of government that wish to regulate wetlands in counties having a population of less than 100,000. HB 4373 – This bill would allow commercial shoreline property owners along Grand Traverse Bay and Saginaw Bay to remove wetland vegetation from the entire width of the property. Click here for a more detailed bill summary MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT HEARS ORAL ARGUMENTS IN "BEACH WALKING" CASE The Michigan Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Glass v. Goeckel "beach walking" case this week. Nothing short of ownership patterns along Michigan's Great Lakes coastline are at stake in this case. Many groups have weighed in on the case by submitting amicus briefs. A link to the briefs is provided below. The court is expected to issue a ruling this summer. Michigan Supreme Court website with all briefs Detroit Free Press article			MDEQ Wetland Job Posting The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is hiring up to 5 seasonal employees to conduct wetland assessments. For the full announcement, click here. The announcement will also be posted on DEQ's wetland site on Monday. Signup for NWF SWANCC Listserv For those interested in following the nationwide doings regarding the implications of the Supreme Court's decision in the SWANCC case, the National Wildlife Federation maintains an excellent email listserv with updates from across the country. The list is open to members of non-profit environmental organizations, government employees, and citizen activists only. You can join the listserv by sending an email with your name, email address, and contact info to sibbing@nwf.org.
	Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council 426 Bay Street , Petoskey, Michigan 49770 Phone: (231) 347-1181 x 118 Fax: (231) 347-5928 Email: chrisgrubb@watershedcouncil.org Web: http://www.michiganwetlands.org