LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- Governor Rick Snyder will not lower the state’s standards for dumping ballast water in the Great Lakes.
He vetoed a bill with the changes Friday because he’s concerned about invasive species.
Ballast water is collected by large ships in one body of water to help stabilize the ship. Then it’s dumped into other bodies of water, along with whatever plant and animal species collected with it.
The bill sat for months in the House – that’s because Snyder was hesitant to sign it. Lawmakers pushed it through on their last day of session before their summer break – and the governor still wasn’t on board.
Ari Adler is a spokesperson for the governor.
“We want to make sure that those protections are solid and in place when you’re dealing with something as important as ballast water discharge in the Great Lakes,” he said.
The governor also signed legislation that creates new oversight advisory boards for the state Department of Environmental Quality.