HOUSE BILL No. 6278

 

 

August 15, 2018, Introduced by Rep. Lucido and referred to the Committee on Local Government.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 4105 (MCL 324.4105), as amended by 2006 PA 602.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4105. (1) The mayor of each city, the president of each

 

village, the township supervisor of each township, the responsible

 

executive officer of a governmental agency, and all other persons

 

operating sewerage systems in this state shall file with the

 

department a true copy of the plans and specifications of the

 

entire sewerage system owned or operated by that person, including

 

any filtration or other purification plant or treatment works as

 

may be operated in connection with the sewerage system, and also

 

plans and specifications of all proposed alterations, additions, or

 

improvements to the systems. that may be made. The plans and

 


specifications shall provide that not later than December 31, 2022,

 

the operating sewerage system is physically separated from any

 

stormwater system and will not allow the discharge of untreated or

 

partially treated sewage to enter the waters of the state. The

 

plans and specifications shall, in addition to all other

 

requirements, show all the sources through or from which water is

 

or may be at any time pumped or otherwise permitted to enter into

 

the sewerage system, and the drain, watercourse, river, or lake

 

into which sewage is to be discharged. The plans and specifications

 

shall be certified by the mayor of a city, the president of a

 

village, a responsible member of a partnership, an individual

 

owner, or the proper officer of any other person that operates the

 

sewerage system, as well as by the engineer, if any are an engineer

 

is employed by any such the operator. The department may promulgate

 

and enforce rules regarding the preparation and submission of plans

 

and specifications and for the issuance and period of validity of

 

construction permits for the work.

 

     (2) A person shall not construct a sewerage system or any

 

filtration or other purification plant or treatment works in

 

connection with a sewerage system except as authorized by a

 

construction permit issued by the department pursuant to part 13.

 

An application for a permit shall be submitted by the mayor of a

 

city, the president of a village, a responsible member of a

 

partnership, an individual owner, or the proper officer of any

 

other person proposing the construction. If eligible, a person may

 

request an expedited review of an application for a construction

 

permit under section 4112. An application for a permit shall


include plans and specifications as described in subsection (1). If

 

considered appropriate by the department, the department may issue

 

a permit with conditions to correct minor design problems.

 

     (3) The department may verbally approve minor modifications of

 

a construction permit issued by the department as a result of

 

unforeseen site conditions that become apparent during

 

construction. Minor modifications include, but are not limited to,

 

a minor change of location of the sewer or location of manholes.

 

The person making the request for a modification shall provide to

 

the department all relevant information pursuant to R 299.2931 to R

 

299.2945 of the Michigan administrative code Administrative Code

 

and the application form provided by the department related to the

 

requested modification. Written approval from the department shall

 

be obtained for all modifications except when the department

 

provides verbal approval for a minor modification as provided for

 

in this subsection. The person receiving a written or verbal

 

approval from the department shall submit revised plans or

 

specifications to the department within 10 days from the date of

 

approval.

 

     (4) If a person seeks confirmation of the department's verbal

 

approval of a minor modification under subsection (3), the person

 

shall notify the department electronically, at an address specified

 

by the department, with a detailed description of the request for

 

the modification. The department shall make reasonable efforts to

 

respond within 2 business days, confirming whether the request has

 

been approved or not approved. If the department has not responded

 

within 2 business days after the department receives the detailed


description, the verbal approval shall be considered confirmed.

 

     (5) A municipal officer or an officer or agent of a person who

 

permits or allows construction to proceed on a sewerage works

 

without a valid permit, or in a manner not in accordance with the

 

plans and specifications approved by the department, is guilty of a

 

misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $500.00 or

 

imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.

 

     (6) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Partially treated sewage" means any sewage from domestic

 

or industrial sources that meets 1 or more of the following:

 

     (i) Is not treated to national secondary treatment standards

 

for wastewater or that is treated to a level less than that

 

required by a national pollutant discharge elimination system

 

permit under part 31.

 

     (ii) Is treated to a level less than that required by a

 

groundwater discharge permit under part 31.

 

     (iii) Is found on the ground surface.

 

     (b) "Waters of the state" means that term as defined in

 

section 3101.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.