ACTION ALERT    

CELEBRATE WORLD WATER DAY, Monday, March 22, 2010

The Issue: 
Citizens must close a loophole in Michigan’s environmental policy to protect our groundwater, small streams and lakes.  

No one owns Michigan’s water - it belongs to all of us in common. We all depend on water for jobs, livelihood, health, recreation, food  -- all of us share in our use of water --  private landowners, lake and river owners, farmers, manufacturers, boaters, gardeners, resort operators, golf courses, cities, schools… the list goes on and on.  We must ensure that citizens and business can enjoy and depend on our freshwater resources for generations to come. 
  
The Solution: 
Michigan House Bill 5319. Educate citizens, leaders, and the public about the public trust for our water and Michigan House Bill 5319.  

Take Action:
Join in the Flow for Water Campaign: 
Help grow our coalition of citizens working to establish our water in the public trust.  100,000 citizens have already joined.  We need you!
                                                              
Help us share information about HB 5319  

FIRST:	Send a letter to the editor at one of the West Michigan publications below. Send a copy to our campaign at   or go to  and click on “TAKE ACTION” under “ACTION ALERT,” and follow the directions for letter, your own letter from samples.

SECOND: Contact your Michigan House of Representative and Senator by e-mail or letter.  Send a copy to our campaign at  or go to  and click “TAKE ACTION” under “ACTION ALERT,” and follow directions for email.

Click HERE  or go to  as directed above to find example letters to the editor and elected officials.

Tell them that you are passionate about protecting our water resources for future generations and that you support HB 5319 to place Michigan’s water in the public trust. 

Find Your Representative: .   
Find your Senator: 
Read HB 5319:   Search and Click for 2009-HB-5319.

West Michigan Public Opinion Pages:
Grand Rapids Press:  
Holland Sentinel: 

More information for background for letters or emails below: 

DISPEL THE LIES BEING CIRCULATED ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST AND HOUSE BILL 5319.  
People who don’t have Michigan’s best interests at heart are lying to the press, framing the public trust bill as a "tax" on water. No one owns groundwater or our lakes and streams. If they did, it would be property, and subject to tax under our property tax laws! Water is a flowing, moving commons held by the state on behalf of the citizens and people who live and work here. 

Our groundwater, streams and lakes belong to everyone. This has been the law in Michigan and elsewhere in the U.S. for centuries. The only way to keep water from being exported and controlled by those outside of Michigan is to affirm water is ours forever. This is all House Bill 5319 does. 

The bill does not require new regulation – our water is already regulated.  The bill allows the continued right of individuals, landowners, farmers, businesses to use water reasonably as part of the commons. The public trust prevents unregulated shipping and sale of water outside of our watershed for private gain. 

HB 5319 IS NOT  A TAX BILL.!   IT IS NOT AN ANTI-BOTTLED WATER BILL  IT DOES NOT AFFECT the private use or public use by those who own property, businesses, farms, wineries, cottages, homes. The public trust protects our Great Lakes and now must protect the lakes, streams, and groundwater that feed them. 

BUSINESS AND U.N. REPORTS PREDICT THAT DEMAND FOR WATER IN SOME PLACES IN THE WORLD WILL EXCEED SUPPLY BY 30 OR 40 PERCENT!  WE USE AND ENJOY 20 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S WATER. WHERE WILL THE WATER GO IF WE DO NOT ACT NOW TO PREVENT ITS EXPORT OR SALE. This does not mean we as a people cannot allow water to be shipped for special humanitarian needs by those hired by us to deliver it. 

THANK YOU!  Your children and grandchildren thank you.
     
			Flow for Water Coalition 			
48 E. Front Street, Ste. 301
			Traverse City, Michigan 49684
			(231) 941-6584, Ext. 19