LAKES & STREAMS PERMIT MEETING H.B. 6576: FLOOR ANALYSIS
House Bill 6576 (as discharged)
Sponsor: Representative John Pastor
House Committee: Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment
Senate Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 301 (Inland Lakes and Streams) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to specify that Section 30306b, which provides for a preapplication meeting for a permit under Part 303 (Wetlands Protection), would apply to a permit under Part 301.
Under Section 30306b, if a landowner or another person authorized in writing by the landowner requests a preapplication meeting, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) must meet with the person or his or her representative to review a proposed wetlands project or proposed wetlands permit application in its entirety. The meeting must take place at the DEQ's district office for the district that includes the project site or at the project site itself, as specified in the request.
The fee for a meeting at the district office is $150. The fee for a meeting at the project site is $250 for the first acre or portion of an acre of project area, plus $50 for each additional acre or portion of an acre, up to $1,000. If the project location is a single family residential lot of less than one acre, however, there is no fee for a meeting at the district office, and the fee for a meeting at the project site is $100.
Any written agreement provided by the DEQ as a result of the preapplication meeting regarding the need to obtain a permit is binding on the Department for two years.
The bill is tie-barred to House Bill 6162 (Public Act 435 of 2006), which enacted Section 30306b.
Proposed MCL 324.30104b Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the State. When requested, the Department of Environmental Quality would be required to meet with project representatives to review project or permit applications. To cover the costs of providing this service, the DEQ would be authorized to charge fees that were established in Public Act 435 of 2006. The total amount collected from the fees would depend on the number of requested meetings. The fee revenue would be deposited into the Land and Water Permit Fee Fund, which is used to support land and water permitting and regulatory programs.
Date Completed: 12-15-06 Fiscal Analyst: Jessica Runnels
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. hb6576/0506