Conservation and environmental organizations are lining up in attempts to get Michigan's top 3 law makers, all lame ducks, to pass legislation to prohibit drilling for oil in the Great Lakes. Opponents point out that such a move would give Canada a monopoly on the rich oil reserves under the lakes.

Governor Granholm, House Speaker Andy Dillon, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop are all term limited and none were given spots on the November ballot by their political parties. Dillon and Bishop failed to send legislation through to the governor that would have placed the issue on the November ballot.

In light of the BP and Enbridge oil spills Clean Water Action Michigan and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters had called for Dillon and Bishop to allow a proposal to be placed on the November ballot that would make permanent a ban on drilling in Michigan's portions of four of the five Great Lakes.

Canada is on record as having no desire to ban drilling in the world's largest fresh water reserves. They already have more than 500 gas wells in their portion of Lake Erie. They also have parts of Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Ontario in which they can legally drill.

Michigan has the longest coastline of all 48 continental United States with over 3,000 miles of sodium-free waters of the Great Lakes. Only Lake Ontario is not part of Michigan's coast line.

The issue is likely to surface during the debates for the November general election.