Environment
Environmental aspects of proposed bridge draw little attention
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By ANJANA SCHROEDER
Capital News Service
LANSING – The long battle over building a second bridge between Detroit and Windsor has been almost free of environmental debate. Instead, opponents and supporters of the proposed project are concentrating on social and economic issues of the project. The Snyder administration says Michigan and Canada have adequately studied the environmental impacts of building the controversial bridge. Gov. Rick Snyder’s deputy press secretary, Ken Silfven, said there are acceptable standards being met and that “state and federal environment requirements are not optional.”
Tim Fischer of the Michigan Environmental Council said the organization is not focusing on the proposed Detroit River International Crossing because the organization has other priorities. Among several environmental concerns, air quality is the most common factor identified. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expects the rise in vehicles traveling between Detroit and Windsor to have a direct effect on air quality because of emissions of idling diesel trucks and bridge and highway traffic.