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Wayne County Commission backs state bill to curb hazardous‑waste shipments
Summary
The commission adopted a resolution urging the Michigan Legislature and Governor Gretchen Whitmer to approve Senate Bill 1052, a measure aimed at tightening rules about hazardous‑waste transport into Michigan; commissioners cited recurring local incidents and environmental‑justice concerns.
The Wayne County Commission voted to endorse Michigan Senate Bill 1052, a measure that would tighten regulations on hazardous‑waste shipments into the state. The resolution, identified on the agenda as sponsored by Commissioner Alicia R. Bell, passed after brief discussion and a voice vote.
Commissioner Alicia R. Bell introduced the resolution, saying the county has grappled with hazardous‑waste deliveries to local sites and that additional state safeguards are needed to protect residents and the environment. “We’re thankful that many of our legislatures are taking action,” Bell said as she moved the item.
Commissioner Baker McCormick voiced strong support, pointing to ongoing local struggles with toxic dumping: “I, you know, have worked on the toxic issues that we’ve had in our county, dumping,” he told the commission, adding that similar efforts earlier this year highlighted environmental justice concerns in predominantly brown and Black communities.
Hearing no further discussion, the chair called the vote and the clerk announced, “Motion carries.” The resolution records the commission’s request that the Michigan Legislature adopt SB 1052 and that the governor sign it into law.
Why it matters: Commissioners framed the resolution as a preventive, county‑level expression of concern intended to influence state policymakers. The measure does not itself change county rules; it asks Lansing and the governor to act. The commission did not attach binding local enforcement language to the resolution.
What’s next: The resolution will be transmitted to state legislators and the governor’s office as an expression of the county’s official position. Whether SB 1052 advances in the Legislature is outside the commission’s immediate authority and was not resolved during the meeting.
