October 29, 2008, Introduced by Rep. Elsenheimer and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 61003 (MCL 324.61003), as added by 1998 PA 117.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec.
61003. (1) The department shall, implement procedures in
compliance
with this part that allow the department, after
consultation with the natural resources trust fund board and
approval
of the natural resources commission, to divest itself of
severed oil and gas rights and reunite the oil and gas rights with
the surface rights. The department is not required to divest itself
of oil and gas rights to land that is in production or is leased or
permitted for production, or to land which the department
determines has unusual or sensitive environmental features that
should be reserved by the state and maintained in an undeveloped
state, or to land which the department may consider offering for
exchange to consolidate inholdings within management areas.
(2) When the department transfers oil and gas rights under
this part, the department shall include a deed restriction that
restricts the oil and gas rights from being severed from the
surface rights in the future. If the landowner severs the
subsurface rights from the surface rights, the subsurface rights
revert to this state.