"It says to the people of Michigan, 'You can use water only when your government gives you permission,'" said Robertson, of Grand Blanc. "It really is a profound departure from what has been the law regarding water usage as far back as when America became America."
Rep. Robertson doesn't know what he's talking about. He is perhaps unintentionally running interference for out of state interests that want to export Michigan's water. Public trust doctrine has coexisted well with reasonable use for centuries. What's changing is that companies like Nestle want to pretend mining water, putting it in bottles, exporting it and selling it at a huge profit in faraway markets is a reasonable use. It's not and never has been. Reasonable use applies to what you need to supply your drinking water, irrigation or industrial needs IN PLACE.
It's the water exporters who are proposing the profound, even radical departure. Will Michigan officials and environmental groups let them sneak off with our water?
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Posted by: Diana | June 13, 2008 at 01:58 PM