As former Chair of the House Great Lakes and Environment Committee and current Minority Vice-Chair of the Senate Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee, Rebekah has time and again set aside partisan division to reach broad agreement on key legislation that will preserve our natural resources for years to come. She has been honored for this extensive record of environmental achievement with the Alliance for the Great Lakes Great Lakes Ally of the Year Award, Progress Michigan’s 2008 Progressive State Representative Cherry Award, the Michigan Soft Drink Association’s 2009 Legislative Leadership Award, Trout Unlimited’s Order of the Hexegenia, and Clean Water Action’s 2009 Lawmaker of the Year Award.

In an effort that gained statewide attention, Rebekah negotiated the passage of landmark water protection legislation in 2008, effectively banning the diversion of Great Lakes water from outside the basin by ratifying the Great Lakes Basin Water Resources Compact. Later that term, she again worked with her colleagues to enact “e-waste” legislation that required computer and television manufacturers to develop programs for consumers to recycle obsolete electronics.

Staving off attempts to eliminate Michigan’s 30 year-old Wetlands Protection Act, Rebekah helped reach an agreement that ensures that wetlands oversight remains under state authority. This plan not only guaranteed the protection of 5.5 million acres of wetlands, but also saved the jobs of those Michiganders who provide this critical supervision. At the same time, the plan requires the identification of 2,500 acres for cranberry production, a move that will create 383 permanent jobs and generate nearly $30 million annually. The ultimate construction of these new cranberry bogs is expected to produce $153 million dollars in economic activity and put more than 1,000 Michigan residents back to work.

In 2009, Rebekah also sponsored and passed into law a bill authorizing the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) and the Agriculture Commission, in consultation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), to more quickly address the threat of invasive species by allowing them to add or delete from the list of prohibited or restricted species without legislative approval. A companion bill added several invasive and potentially harmful species to the lists, including the starry stonewort, an alga that has infested the waters of our very own Washtenaw County (Public Act 52 of 2009).

Such legislation has become all the more timely with the threat of an Asian carp infestation in our Great Lakes. In an effort to help address this very serious issue, Rebekah sponsored and passed a resolution urging our quick action to prevent the Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes and asking Attorney General Cox to commence with an immediate legal response. Once the lawsuit was filed, she also submitted an amicus brief with Senator Patty Birkholz to support the closing of the locks connecting the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan.

In 2010, Rebekah passed bi-partisan legislation to create a stable, long-term funding source for our treasured state parks. The plan, which allows Michiganders to purchase an annual state parks pass by adding $10 to their vehicle registration renewal ($5 for motorcycles), raised $10.9 million in its first nine months of operation, more than the old system made over a 12-month period.

According to the Secretary of State, 22 percent of vehicle registrants have purchased the passports statewide. The program has likely proven to be popular not only because it supports our parks, but also due to its amazing value. While the old system charged $24 for an annual sticker and $6 for a day pass, residents now pay just $10 for all-year access and the registration tag affixed to their license plates has a small “P.”

To learn more about the program, or to sign up to participate, please visit www.michigan.gov/recreationpassport.