A Bi-Weekly Publication Friday March 25, 2005

				In This Issue: · CLEAN WATER LEGISLATION RE-INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS · TIP OF THE MITT POLICY / ADVOCACY SPECIALIST JOB POSTING · RAPANOS LET OFF EASY CLEAN WATER LEGISLATION RE-INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS Michigan Congressman John Dingell, along with Representatives Oberstar (D-MN), Leach (R-IA), and Boehlert (R-NY), is helping lead the charge to ensure strong protections for the nation's water and wetlands by reintroducing the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act (H.R. 1356). With bipartisan support from 127 members of Congress, the bill aims to reaffirm protection for millions of acres of wetlands and thousands of miles of rivers and streams that are currently threatened by a misguided Bush administration policy guidance. About half of Michigan's Representatives have signed on to co-sponsor this legislation. Representatives Hoekstra, Camp, Upton, Shwarz, Rogers, Knollenberg, Miller, and McCotter have not yet signed on. Please contact these Representatives, especially if you live in their district, and encourage them to support clean water by co-sponsoring this legislation. Contact your Representative Press Release TIP OF THE MITT POLICY / ADVOCACY SPECIALIST JOB POSTING The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is currently accepting applications for a policy and advocacy specialist to work on local and statewide issues. Cover letters and resumes are requested as soon as possible, but no later than April 22, and can be sent to: Gail Gruenwald, Executive Director Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council 426 Bay Street Petoskey, MI 49770 Full job posting			RAPANOS LET OFF EASY Owing to an unrelated U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down mandatory sentencing guidelines, and a sympathetic judge, convicted wetland destroyer John Rapanos was recently sentenced to probation already served. The Supreme Court ruling allowed U.S. District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff to reject the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals instructions to impose a sentence of 10 to 16 months. Rapanos was convicted in 1995 of illegally filling wetlands in Bay, Midland, and Saginaw Counties. The Justice Department has won a civil suit against Rapanos and is seeking $10 million in fines, $3 million in fees, and wants him to permanently set aside 80 acres of wetlands. Detroit News article AP article
	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