The provision would have lifted a ban on hazardous materials crossing the Ambassador Bridge
A ban on hazardous materials traveling over the Ambassador Bridge will continue.
Last week, Windsor-West MP Brian Masse noticed a provision "slipped into" a COVID-19 relief bill in Michigan. The provision would lift a ban that's been in place for decades due to a lack of safety measures on the bridge.
Masse and Detroit Senator Stephanie Chang began to lobby Governor Gretchen Whitmer just before Christmas. The New Democrat also reached out to Minister of Transportation Marc Garneau, whose staff engaged the governor's office on the issue the same day.
Whitmer signed the relief bill Tuesday, but not before striking the hazardous materials item from the legislation.
"With the introduction of our intervention and the minister's, it certainly compounded the problems that they would face with this bill going forward," says Masse. "I'm appreciative of that type of cooperation and hopefully we'll see more of that in the future."
Masse says Governor Whitmer made the right call.
"It was slipped in to a COVID-19 relief bill, which is inappropriate in the first place, but it almost became law," says Masse. "The governor's response to this is excellent, because it's a veto and those line items stricken right out of the bill so the issue is resolved."
He says politicians on both sides of the border are going to keep a close eye on things moving forward.
"It's good work and I'm very appreciative, but we want to make sure this doesn't happen again, because there's just too much at risk, it's unnecessary and it's related mostly to greed and it's not something we should be fooling around with," he says.
Currently, hazmat trucks use the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry or cross the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia as it's equip to handle a hazardous spill or explosion.
Masse says the Gordie Howe International Bridge will also be equip to handle hazardous materials when it's finished in four years.