What’s New with Senator Basham?
Basham Urges Michigan Restaurant Association, Legislature to Make All Michigan Workplaces Smokefree
Senator Basham was joined by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and Carrabba’s Italian Grill proprietor Michael Tehovnik to call on the Michigan Restaurant Association and the Michigan Legislature to protect Michigan workers and patrons and pass smokefree workplace legislation.
ACS CAN stopped in Southgate during their six-month, 48-state tour to urge lawmakers to make Michigan workplaces smokefree in 2008. The tour highlights the crucial role elected officials play in making cancer a national priority.
For more than a decade, Senator Basham has been championing an effort in the Michigan Legislature to make public bars, restaurants and workplaces smokefree. The Michigan House of Representatives recently voted on House Bill 4163, a bill to make all workplaces, including bars, restaurants, and casinos, smokefree. Although the bill did not pass, there was a motion to reconsider the bill and it is possible the bill will be taken up again soon. Basham is the lead sponsor of a companion bill, SB 109, that was introduced in the Senate last year.
Basham, Hopgood Join Officials in Announcing Jobs Coming to Michigan Instead of Kentucky or Alabama
Senator Basham and Representative Hoon-Yung Hopgood recently announced that the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has granted a Michigan-based manufacturing company incentives to expand its business in Romulus instead of locations in Kentucky or Alabama.
JCIM US, LLC supplies interior automotive components such as consoles to original equipment manufacturers like General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota. With incentives granted by MEDC, the company plans to consolidate its operations and expand facilities in Romulus, as well as Frenchtown Township, Lansing and Port Huron. The expansion is expected to create 325 new jobs and generate an additional 1,124 spin-off jobs. JCIM will make a capital investment of around $4 million as part of the project.
MEDC is helping seven companies grow in Michigan and is backing two downtown brownfield redevelopment projects. Combined, the nine projects are expected to create 7,556 new jobs, retain 86 jobs and generate over $489.2 million in new investment in the state.
New Basham Legislation to Ban Plastic Shopping Bags
With growing awareness and concern about the environmental and economic costs of plastic bags, Senator Basham is developing legislation for introduction that would curb their proliferation in Michigan. The three bill package considers a variety of options including provisions for collection and recycling programs by retailers where plastic bags are distributed, establishing disincentives for the use of plastic bags, and ultimately phasing out the use of all noncompostable plastic bags.
According to Senator Basham, at least one hundred billion plastic bags are now consumed in the United States each year. However, only five percent of these are recycled. The rest end up in landfills, caught in trees and other vegetation, or floating in the water where they threaten marine life. Plastic bags account for ten percent of the debris washed up on the U.S. coastline.
Several countries including Ireland and China have already banned plastic bags. San Francisco was the first U.S. city to do so. Since then a number of other cities, states and countries have followed suit and now have laws on the books. In fact, Senator Basham’s legislation was modeled after proposals from Illinois, New Jersey and Alaska.
The environmental impacts are significant. Basham explained that plastic bags break down over time into smaller, more toxic petro-polymers which contaminate soils and waterways. Eventually they enter the food chain and have catastrophic affects on wildlife. Birds often end up entangled in plastic bags and other wildlife such as whales, dolphins, seals and turtles die from mistaking them for food and ingesting them.
In addition to the environmental benefits, Basham said that reducing plastic bag use will also decrease our foreign oil dependency as they are made of polyethylene, a thermoplastic made from oil. China alone will save 37 million barrels of oil annually due to their ban of free plastic bags.
Basham believes the use of reusable, recyclable or biodegradable bags is the solution to these problems. Just one person using a cloth bag could save 22,176 bags in their lifetime. And, if one out of every five people in the U.S. did this, they would save more than 1.3 trillion bags.
Senator Basham Announces $32 Million Loan to Improve Wastewater Treatment Facility
Senator Basham recently announced that the Department of Environmental Quality has approved a $32,095,000 low-interest loan to Wayne County for continuing improvements at its Downriver Wastewater Treatment Facility in the City of Wyandotte. The facility is Michigan’s second largest sewage treatment facility, serving thirteen Downriver communities.
“Through this low-interest loan, the treatment facility will be able to continue their improvements, stimulating investment in our state as well as helping keep the Detroit River clean so citizens can enjoy recreational water activities,” said Sen. Basham. “I would like to thank the Department of Environmental Quality for helping provide the resources to ensure a consistent, quality operation.”
The Department of Environmental Quality has announced 24 new loan commitments from the state’s revolving fund programs. The State Revolving Fund provides low-interest financing for local units of government to make needed improvements to wastewater collection and treatment facilities.
Senator Basham Announces $7,550 Community Forest Grant to Southgate
Senator Basham recently announced that the City of Southgate will receive a $7,550 grant from the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Urban and Community Forestry program. These funds will go towards completing the city’s tree inventory and updating their current software program.
The DNR Urban and Community Forestry program provides assistance for urban and community forestry projects statewide. The Community Forestry Grant (CFG) program was established with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, to assist communities, schools and nonprofit organizations with urban forestry related activities. Under the 2008-09 grant program, 50 projects were approved and $214,665 was awarded for various forestry projects.
Tune Into The Basham Report
November Topic:
Senator Basham interviews Dr. Dan O’Brien, Wildlife Veterinarian with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), on Chronic Wasting Disease, Baiting Bans and other issues facing the DNR.
Schedule:
Wyandotte Cable – Channel 15 on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
Comcast Cable (Allen Park, Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, Riverview, Southgate & Taylor) – Channel 20 on Mondays at 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Comcast Cable (Wayne & Romulus) – Channel 25 on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m.
Mark Your Calendar
Tuesday, November 4: Election Day
Tuesday, November 11: Veterans' Day -- State Offices Closed
Thursday, November 27: Thanksgiving Holiday -- State Offices Closed
Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving Holiday -- State Offices Closed
News You Can Use
Michigan Public Service Commission Encourages Homeowners to “Be Winter Wise”
Earlier this week, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) kicked off its "Be WinterWise" campaign, an initiative designed to give utility customers important information on how to cut winter energy bills and where to receive financial assistance. Their website now features a webcast covering a variety of programs available to ensure the heat stays on this winter. From tips on how to cut energy usage to shut-off protection and financial assistance programs, this website is the number one resource to get answers to all your winter energy questions.
To learn more, visit the MPSC website: www.michigan.gov/bewinterwise.
MDOT Recruits Volunteers to "Adopt-A-Landscape"
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is encouraging members of the public, community groups, master gardener clubs, businesses, and public agencies to "Adopt-A-Landscape."
Similar to the department's long-standing Adopt-A-Highway program, the new Adopt-A- Landscape program hopes to recruit civic-minded volunteers to help beautify interchanges, boulevards, rest areas and roadside parks. Volunteers will plant flowers, shrubs and trees; control weeds; trim and remove trees; sow wildflowers; remove graffiti from highway structures and perform ancillary mowing. Adopt-A-Landscape volunteers will help MDOT stretch limited maintenance dollars. Planting vegetation also will help prevent storm water runoff.
Adopting groups can use volunteers to do the work on their own, or hire a contractor to perform the work on their behalf. Volunteers receive safety vests, safety materials, and name recognition signs to mark the area their group has adopted, similar to the signs used by the Adopt-A-Highway program. Permits to do the work are being issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested groups should contact their local MDOT Transportation Service Center (TSC) for more information on what sections of land are available for adoption.
MDOT has posted an informational brochure and Frequently Asked Questions online at: www.michigan.gov/adoptalandscape.
"Stop the Buckeye" Effort Raises Awareness in Ohio and Michigan about Global Warming
A recent report by the National Wildlife Federation (The Gardener's Guide to Global Warming) projects that many plants, including official state icons, are projected to shift outside their historic range if climate changes due to global warming persist and are not addressed. The Ohio buckeye tree is among the state icons that could be threatened, and in fact, could migrate north to Michigan.
The Pew Environment Group, along with a coalition of local organizations, is organizing to "Stop the Buckeye" centering on the migration of the Ohio Buckeye to Michigan due to the impacts of global warming. These efforts will work to raise awareness in both Ohio and Michigan about the adverse affects of global warming and the urgent need for strong federal legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For information about the “Stop the Buckeye” Effort, visit their website at: www.stopthebuckeye.org
