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Updated: 7/10/2008 4:30:31 PM
Ele's Place seeks volunteers; Farm Bureau applauds water compact
Ele’s Place, a healing center for grieving children, is seeking caring men and women to volunteer as facilitators with its children’s bereavement support group program in Ann Arbor, which serves families from Washtenaw County and sur-rounding areas. The next training will be from 6 to 9 p.m., Aug. 11, 18, and 19; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 23; and 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 25.
Call Karen Mertig at (734) 929-6640 for information and to sign up.
Ele’s Place is currently ex-periencing a tremendous demand for services, and groups are becoming full. More volunteer facilitators are critical now so that Ele’s Place can add more groups and meet the grow-ing need in the community.
To qualify to become an Ele’s Place support group facilitator, individuals must complete a 20-hour training program. Adults who are interested in working with children, have excellent listening skills, and can commit one evening per week for a year are encouraged to consider this re-warding volunteer opportunity.

Farm Bureau supports historic water pact
The Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) is applauding Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s signing of new water use legislation on Wednesday, calling the package of bills a historic agreement that ensures Michigan’s abundant water resources will be used efficiently to balance the state’s economic, social and environmental demands.
“Michigan farmers rely on water to produce food. As such, this legislative package accomplishes two things that are critical to the continuation and growth of agriculture in this state,” said MFB President Wayne H. Wood.
One, it protects the Great Lakes from diversion by ratifying the Great Lakes Compact into Michigan law.
Secondly, it implements a water management system that includes the adoption of a first-of-its-kind water use assessment tool that will help water users to understand if a new use will adversely impact the environment, Wood said.
Highlights of the legisla-tive package:
· A Great Lakes Compact that will retain authority of the Great Lakes within the eight Great Lakes states/provinces. Powers of the Michigan Legislature are recognized regarding Compact standards.
· Implementation of a science-based water-use assessment tool for new large water uses through a phase-in period that allows farmers to test the tool under real circumstances. Existing uses are “grandfathered” from having to use the system.
· Seasonal water uses are acknowledged as different from year-round uses and are not required to obtain permits.
· Reaffirmation that this law does not affect common law water rights, the riparian doctrine or private property rights.
· Farmers retain the option to register/report their water use to the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) without fees.
· Provisions for transferring “grandfathered” water usage from surface water to groundwater withdrawals.
· An extended opportunity for farmers with withdrawals that existed prior to Feb. 28, 2006 and who did not register and report the water use to the state, to do so prior to April 1, 2009 to establish baseline use.
· Provisions prohibiting the Department of Environmental Quality from creating additional water quantity-related fees or rules.
The Compact still must be ratified by Congress.