LANSING, Mich. — Michigan would continue to run its own wetlands protection program under terms of a budget bill pending in the state Legislature.
But a conference committee of House and Senate members first must clear up a misunderstanding over how the program would be paid for and how long the arrangement would last.
A version of the natural resources and environmental quality budget was approved by the panel Wednesday but it hasn’t been submitted to the full House for a vote.
Democratic leaders say there was a misunderstanding over whether the $2 million annual program would be funded for three months or three years.
Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed saving money by turning over wetlands regulation to the federal government, but some lawmakers disagree.