LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder commended Sen. Mike Nofs for introducing legislation that would invest $74 million annually to help renew Michigan’s environment and protect public health. Earlier this year, Snyder announced a new proposal to serve as a replacement to the expired Clean Michigan Initiative Bond, as thousands of contaminated sites still exist statewide.

“Smart environmental investments are critical to ensure Michigan has a solid foundation for the future,” Snyder said. “I thank Sen. Nofs for his leadership in introducing this legislation and look forward to working with my partners in the Legislature to implement a long-term plan that protects Michigan’s environment and public health, and promotes economic development.”

Snyder’s proposal addresses Michigan’s critical environmental needs for brownfield site clean-up, waste management and recycling. To reduce waste in Michigan landfills and provide funding for environmental cleanup, Snyder proposed an increase to the current landfill dumping fee of 36 cents per ton. Increasing Michigan’s fee, which is one of the lowest in the nation, would generate more than $70 million annually to fund critical environmental protection needs while enhancing Michigan’s recycling efforts and waste management planning initiatives. Other Midwest states charge as much as $13 per ton.

Cleaning up brownfield sites will improve property values and tax rolls which benefits everyone in a community.

Recent polling results indicate strong support for environmental investments, with 80 percent of likely voters expressing support for increasing the “tipping fee” to pay for clean-up of contaminated sites.

The cost of Sen. Nofs’ legislative proposal would be, on average, $4.44 per household annually.

The $74 million in revenue generated from this fee would bolster critical environmental protection and clean-up programs, including:

• Remediate and redevelop existing and future contaminated sites ($45 million)

• Clean up 300 sites annually, across all 83 counties.

• Address emerging contaminants (PFAS, vapor intrusion).

• Solid waste management ($9 million)

• Enhance solid waste planning for local governments.

• Recycling grants to triple Michigan’s recycling rate ($15 million)

• Provide recycling grants to local entities for recycling infrastructure, market development and education.

• Water quality monitoring grants ($5 million)

• Monitor beaches to keep them clean.

• Reduce phosphorus in Lake Erie.

• Remove contamination in rivers, lakes and streams.

“My first experience in politics was working with my neighbors to ensure developers of a local landfill were responsible for their impact on our township,” Nofs said. “This bill is part of our obligation to make sure future generations of Michiganders have the opportunity to enjoy the natural resources in every corner of our state.”

Currently, Michigan only recycles 15 percent of its waste—one of the lowest recycling rates in the nation. Michigan also has the lowest fee for disposing of waste in landfills in the Great Lakes basin, which has resulted in 17 million tons of trash being disposed of annually in our state. Further, 25.5 percent of waste disposed in Michigan comes from other states and Canada.