SEPTAGE WASTE                                                                                H.B. 4874 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4874 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Representative Ken Goike

House Committee:  Natural Resources

Senate Committee:  Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 117 (Septage Waste Servicers) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to eliminate a fiscal year 2025-26 sunset on an exception to a requirement that a septage waste servicer dispose of the waste at the septage waste receiving facility for that service area. Before State fiscal year 2025-26, this requirement does not apply to a person engaged in servicing who owns a storage facility with a capacity of at least 50,000 gallons if the storage facility was constructed, or authorized by the Department of Environmental Quality to be constructed, before the service location was included in a receiving facility service area under a receiving facility's Department-approved operating plan. The bill would eliminate the sunset on this exception.

The bill also would limit the scope of a provision allowing an ordinance of a governmental unit (a county, township, municipality, or regional authority) to impose stricter septage waste requirements than those prescribed in Part 117. Under the bill, this provision would apply only if all of the following conditions were met:

-- The receiving facility was operating before the date two years after the bill took effect.

-- The receiving facility's effluent was discharged, either directly or through a sewer system, to a wastewater treatment plant that was operating before the bill took effect.

-- The receiving facility was constructed, or the facility and a wastewater treatment plant of which the facility was part were improved, at a cost of at least $6.0 million.

-- There was outstanding indebtedness for the construction or improvement consisting only of bonds or loans described in the bill.

The bill would take effect on the 91^st day after it was enacted.

MCL 324.11708 & 324.11715                                           Legislative Analyst:  Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  12-18-14                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

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.