ADOPT-A-FOREST PROGRAM - H.B. 6013 (H-1): COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 6013 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Scott Shackleton
House Committee: Great Lakes and Tourism
Senate Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
Date Completed: 11-28-00
CONTENT
The bill would add Part 360 to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to administer an "adopt-a-forest" program, which would have to be designed to remove illegally dumped waste (solid waste, hazardous waste, and other recyclable materials) from public forestlands. The program would have to include public informational activities, but be directed primarily toward encouraging and retaining the participation of volunteers in cleaning up public forestland in the State.
The DNR could enter into three-year agreements with participants to implement the program. An agreement would have to identify a parcel of public forestland. A participant could request a specific parcel it wished to adopt. In assisting participants in selecting a parcel of forestland, the Department would have to cooperate with affected Federal, State, and local management agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
An agreement also would have to specify the responsibilities of the participant, which would have to involve the removal of wastes from the designated parcel at least once a year. The participant would have to cooperate with the DNR to promote recycling or proper disposal of recovered recyclable materials, scrap tires, and hazardous waste. The responsibilities also would have to include the participant's agreement to abide by guidelines related to the program that were adopted by the DNR. The responsibilities could include other activities approved by the DNR that were environmentally sound.
In implementing Part 360 and the program, the DNR would have to do all of the following:
-- Adopt guidelines related to the operation of the program.
-- Create a recognition program that would acknowledge the efforts of participants. (The DNR could not allow the placement of more than one sign, not larger than 3 feet by 3 feet, to be located only at a parking lot, trailhead, or roadside.)
-- Provide safety information and assistance to participants.
-- Provide participants with natural resource information and educational materials.
-- Assist in coordinating cleanups and identifying locations of wastes on public forestlands for recovery by participants.
-- Develop a data tracking system related to cleanup activities.
The DNR could provide up to 100% of preapproved waste disposal fees upon request by a participant in any fiscal year as long as funds were available and the participant provided in-kind services equaling or exceeding 25% of the amount of the fees. Any money received by a participant from the sale of recyclable materials could be retained by the participant to be used for miscellaneous expenses related to the cleanup activities.
The DNR would have to report annually to the standing committees of the Legislature that primarily consider issues pertaining to the protection of the natural resources and the environment and the Senate and House Appropriations subcommittees on natural resources. The annual report would have to include the number of acres from which wastes were removed, the number of tons of wastes removed, and the amount of wastes that were recycled.
The DNR also would have to compile information gathered from the data tracking system for inclusion in the annual report prepared under the bill.
Proposed MCL 324.36001-324.36005 - Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would result in an indeterminate increase in Department of Natural Resources administrative costs. The magnitude of the increase and the extent to which these costs could be absorbed within current staff resources would depend on the number of program participants, and cleanup projects undertaken. The size of the program would depend on the annual appropriations made available for it. In FY 2000-01, there is $50,000 appropriated from the State's General Fund for an Adopt-A-Forest Program.
- Fiscal Analyst: P. GrahamS9900\s6013sa
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.