Question:
A bottled-water company sued the state Friday to challenge recent restrictions placed on permits allowing it to buy water for its Ice Mountain Spring Water plant in Mecosta County.

ideas?

Answer: The bottling company said the permit conditions violate the U.S. Constitution's interstate commerce clause and argued the state Department of Environmental Quality had no legal authority to impose the restrictions.

Late last month, Gov. Jennifer Granholm slapped a moratorium on new or expanded bottled water operations in Michigan until the Legislature enacts a water withdrawal law.

Federal law allows the governor of any Great Lakes state to veto water diversions outside the Great Lakes basin -- which includes all of Michigan and portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

Granholm's administration has said there is a lack of clarity over whether bottled water sold outside the basin is legally a diversion.

Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Friday the lawsuits were expected.

"We are hoping the Legislature will take action to address these important water issues for the state of Michigan," she said.