Senators Sanborn, Kahn, Patterson, Allen, Gilbert, Garcia, Hardiman, Birkholz, Jansen, Pappageorge, Cropsey, Cassis, Richardville, Jelinek and Gleason offered the following resolution:

            Senate Resolution No. 59.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2007 to permit states to prohibit or limit the importation of foreign and out-of-state solid waste.

            Whereas, The disposal of unlimited volumes of trash from Canada and other states subverts a state's ability to plan effectively for its own waste disposal needs, undermines local recycling efforts, and leaves the state with an obligation to monitor landfill disposal sites to protect human health and the environment for many years after any disposal contract has expired; and

            Whereas, The imposition on public infrastructure, state and local public safety agencies, and the quality of life for Michigan residents is significant, meaning any state accepting these long-term costs and risks should be able to regulate out-of-state waste; and

            Whereas, The United States Supreme Court has ruled that state authority to control the importation of solid waste is limited, resulting in the doubling of the amount of out-of-state trash Michigan receives on a yearly basis since 1996, with this waste now compromising 28 percent of all trash deposited in Michigan landfills; and

            Whereas, Several measures have been considered by Congress to address the issue of extending authority to states to regulate or ban out-of-state solid waste. The International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2007, which would allow states more control over foreign waste imports, has been passed unanimously by the United States House of Representatives, received by the United States Senate, and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; and

            Whereas, This bill, H.R. 518, grants authority to the states to impose restrictions on the importation of foreign municipal waste and requires the United States Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the 1986 Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste between the United States and Canada, while giving considerable deference to the desire of state governments to allow or restrict importation of foreign solid waste; and

            Whereas, When similar bills have been passed by the United States House of Representatives in previous sessions of the Congress, the United States Senate and Michigan's own Senators have chosen not to support this type of legislation, even though the need is both clear and pressing; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2007 to permit states to prohibit or limit the importation of foreign and out-of-state solid waste; 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.