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From: Larry Sanders
Category: Shipwreck Research
Date: 01 May 2007
Time: 13:11:36
Remote Name: 71.10.3.223
Hi Greg. I do not want to get into using names to attack anyone on this. It is about policy not people. I was sorry you have formed an opinion about my position on this legislation without talking to me first. I have seen you in person 2 times in the last 3 weeks and no mention of this legislation was made At a meeting of the Underwater Preserve Committee at Lansing ,on which you serve and attended, held the day before these bills were introduced, you sat quietly and never mentioned this development to the Committee, DEQ, History Arts and Libraries reps, or anyone else. It leads people to the honest conclusiion that no preintroduction discussion was desired by its proponents. I would have been pleased to talk with you about and even review it and make suggestions (not opposition). Some of what you want to do is both well intended and with merit. However, from a policy standpoint, we need to see where diving fits into Michigan's recreational activities, business community and constitutional obligation to preserve the state's natural resources. Diving promotion is not the be all and end all of recreation in Michigan. All users of the state's water resources must live in harmony if we want to share our resources. Putting diving ahead of and blind to everyone else is a fatal mistake. Whether we agree that they have them or not, I strongly doubt that Native American fishermen excersing treaty fishing rights are going to want to do it in a state park. This is the kind of thing that needs to thought out before legislation is written. This requirs consensus by everyone. It is ignored at the drafter's peril. A dialogue among everyone, not just divers, is need to deal with the issues you legitimately raise and care about. We just need to do it together if anything positive is going to happen.