concrete protections? or just concrete

A bipartisan agreement announced today establishes important and concrete protections for Michigan’s streams and makes water conservation an integral part of the state’s water stewardship efforts.

[snip]

..Coalition members said they would regroup in coming months to fight for additional protections not included in the package.

“We are extremely disappointed that the legislature failed to strengthen our important public trust protections, which affirms that water is a public resource that belongs to Michiganders and not to corporations or profit-takers,” said Cyndi Roper of Clean Water Action. “We intend to revisit this issue.”

So the one thing that two former Governors, a leading member of Congress and others said was critical is not part of this deal? "Pyrrhic victory" might be a better headline. If you want to put your faith in government bureaucracy to save Michigan's water, this package is a winner; if you trust citizens over special interests, it's not.

"The idea that we are just supposed to treat those water miners the same way we treat farmers or manufacturers or municipal water systems is absurd," Roper said.

In a key concession to the industry, the compact provides that water packaged in containers of 5.7 gallons or less and shipped outside the basin is not a diversion of Great Lakes water.