HOUSE BILL No. 4472

 

February 26, 2009, Introduced by Reps. Roberts, Tlaib, Scripps, Switalski, Haugh, Warren, Roy Schmidt, Hammel, Bennett, Liss, Lindberg, Polidori, Nerat, Gonzales, Rogers, Rocca, Haase, Slavens, Kennedy and Meadows and referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Environment.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 3106 (MCL 324.3106).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 3106. (1) The department shall establish pollution

 

standards for lakes, rivers, streams, and other waters of the state

 

in relation to the public use to which they are or may be put, as

 

it considers necessary. The department shall issue permits that

 

will assure compliance with state standards to regulate municipal,

 

industrial, and commercial discharges or storage of any substance

 

that may affect the quality of the waters of the state. The

 

department may set permit restrictions that will assure compliance

 

with applicable federal law and regulations. The department may

 


ascertain and determine for record and in making its order what

 

volume of water actually flows in all streams, and the high and low

 

water marks of lakes and other waters of the state, affected by the

 

waste disposal or pollution of any persons. The department may

 

promulgate rules and issue orders restricting the polluting content

 

of any waste material or polluting substance discharged or sought

 

to be discharged into any lake, river, stream, or other waters of

 

the state. The department shall take all appropriate steps to

 

prevent any pollution the department considers to be unreasonable

 

and against public interest in view of the existing conditions in

 

any lake, river, stream, or other waters of the state.

 

     (2) In order to assure compliance with this part and permits

 

issued under this part, the department shall conduct an unannounced

 

inspection of each facility that has been issued a permit

 

authorizing a discharge into surface water, other than a storm

 

water discharge, as follows:

 

     (a) An EPA major facility as defined in section 3120 shall be

 

inspected annually.

 

     (b) An EPA minor facility as defined in section 3120 shall be

 

inspected every other year.