Rep. Espinoza offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 88.

            A concurrent resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to do all it can to oppose construction in Ontario, Canada of a nuclear waste dump along the shores of Lake Huron and an oil refinery on the banks of the St. Clair River.

            Whereas, Two Canadian proposals to build large industrial facilities pose a serious risk to the people, the wildlife, and the environment of the Great Lakes. Ontario Power Generation is planning to construct an underground radioactive waste repository, less than a mile from Lake Huron, to store nuclear power plant waste. A short distance away, Shell Canada is proposing to build a mammoth oil refinery complex on the St. Clair River, less than 3,000 feet away from local hospitals; and

            Whereas, Both of these facilities pose significant public health risks to the people who obtain their drinking water from Lake Huron or the St. Clair River. The integrity of the underground repository could be compromised and lead to radioactive waste leaking into the Great Lakes in unprecedented levels. Refinery accidents and spills could dump millions of gallons of oil into the Great Lakes. Downstream from the proposed facilities, an estimated 35 to 40 million people rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water. For several communities, the St. Clair River is their primary source of drinking water, with drinking water intakes located only a mile downstream from the proposed facilities; and

            Whereas, Any environmental damage to Lake Huron and the St. Clair River threatens two important state livelihoods. Pristine water is important for the tourism and agriculture industries in Michigan. The specter of radioactive water may cause many would-be tourists to decide against a trip to the Great Lakes and create economic hardship for tourist destinations. Michigan's agriculture industry, which adds more than $4 billion to the state economy annually, is dependent on Great Lakes water for irrigation. Polluted water used for irrigation could contaminate agricultural crops and livestock in the state and cause serious harm to the agriculture industry; and

            Whereas, The people, the wildlife, and the environment in the Lake Huron-St. Clair River corridor already face significant environmental threats from industrial facilities. The shoreline in the area is heavily industrialized with petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturers, paper mills, salt producers, and electric power plants with a history of toxic spills into the St. Clair River. The St. Clair River is listed as one of 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern, because of discharges of heavy metals and toxic chemicals; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we memorialize the United States Congress to do all it can to oppose construction in Ontario, Canada of a nuclear waste dump along the shores of Lake Huron and an oil refinery on the banks of the St. Clair River; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.