HOUSE BILL No. 4925

 

July 2, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Kooiman, Hart, Voorhees, Steil and Koetje and referred to the Committee on Conservation and Outdoor Recreation.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending section 20107a (MCL 324.20107a), as amended by 1996             

                                                                                

    PA 383, and by adding sections 11548a and 61519a.                           

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 11548a.  (1) If property containing a landfill                         

                                                                                

2   regulated under this part is transferred to a county for use as a           

                                                                                

3   converted public park, all responsibilities under this part                 

                                                                                

4   related to the landfill, including, but not limited to,                     

                                                                                

5   postclosure monitoring and maintenance, financial assurance,                

                                                                                

6   maintenance of a perpetual care fund, and corrective action,                

                                                                                

7   shall be conducted by the prior owner or operator of the landfill           

                                                                                

8   or other person as provided by law but not the county or an                 

                                                                                

9   authority associated with or authorized by the county.                      

                                                                                

10      (2) As used in this section, "converted public park" means                  

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   property that is owned and operated by a county or an authority             

                                                                                

2   associated with or authorized by a county, that contains 1 or               

                                                                                

3   more oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601 or 1 or more              

                                                                                

4   abandoned oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601, that                

                                                                                

5   contains a landfill regulated under this part, and that is being            

                                                                                

6   used or is intended to be used as a public park.                            

                                                                                

7       Sec. 20107a.  (1) A person who owns or operates property                    

                                                                                

8   that he or she has knowledge is a facility shall do all of the              

                                                                                

9   following with respect to hazardous substances at the facility:             

                                                                                

10      (a) Undertake measures as are necessary to prevent                          

                                                                                

11  exacerbation of the existing contamination.                                 

                                                                                

12      (b) Exercise due care by undertaking response activity                      

                                                                                

13  necessary to mitigate unacceptable exposure to hazardous                    

                                                                                

14  substances, mitigate fire and explosion hazards due to hazardous            

                                                                                

15  substances, and allow for the intended use of the facility in a             

                                                                                

16  manner that protects the public health and safety.                          

                                                                                

17      (c) Take reasonable precautions against the reasonably                      

                                                                                

18  foreseeable acts or omissions of a third party and the                      

                                                                                

19  consequences that foreseeably could result from those acts or               

                                                                                

20  omissions.                                                                  

                                                                                

21      (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a                     

                                                                                

22  person who violates subsection (1) is liable for response                   

                                                                                

23  activity costs and natural resource damages attributable to any             

                                                                                

24  exacerbation of existing contamination and any fines or penalties           

                                                                                

25  imposed under this part resulting from the violation of                     

                                                                                

26  subsection (1) but is not liable for performance of additional              

                                                                                

27  response activities unless the person is otherwise liable under             


                                                                                

1   this part for performance of additional response activities.  The           

                                                                                

2   burden of proof in a dispute as to what constitutes exacerbation            

                                                                                

3   shall be borne by the party seeking relief.                                 

                                                                                

4       (3) Compliance with this section does not satisfy a person's                

                                                                                

5   obligation to perform response activities as otherwise required             

                                                                                

6   under this part.                                                            

                                                                                

7       (4) Subsection (1) does not apply to  the  any of the                       

                                                                                

8   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

9       (a) The state or  to  a local unit of government that is not                

                                                                                

10  liable under section 20126(3)(a), (b), (c), or (e).  or to a                

                                                                                

11      (b) A local unit of government that acquired property by                    

                                                                                

12  purchase, gift, transfer, or condemnation prior to  the effective           

                                                                                

13  date of this section or to a  June 5, 1995.                                 

                                                                                

14      (c) A county or an authority associated with or authorized by               

                                                                                

15  a county for a converted public park, if the county or authority            

                                                                                

16  has adopted a plan for the proposed use of the converted public             

                                                                                

17  park and for any response activities that are necessary for the             

                                                                                

18  use of the converted public park.                                           

                                                                                

19      (d) A person who is exempt from liability under                             

                                                                                

20  section 20126(4)(c).                                                        

                                                                                

21      (5) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is exempt                 

                                                                                

22  from liability under section 20126(3)(c) or (d) except with                 

                                                                                

23  regard to that person's activities at the facility.                         

                                                                                

24      (6) As used in this section, "converted public park" means                  

                                                                                

25  property that is owned and operated by a county or an authority             

                                                                                

26  associated with or authorized by a county, that contains 1 or               

                                                                                

27  more oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601 or 1 or more              


                                                                                

1   abandoned oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601, that                

                                                                                

2   contains a landfill regulated under part 115, and that is being             

                                                                                

3   used or is intended to be used as a public park.                            

                                                                                

4       Sec. 61519a.  (1) If property is transferred to a county for                

                                                                                

5   use as a converted public park, all responsibilities and                    

                                                                                

6   liabilities under this part relating to a well located on that              

                                                                                

7   property, including, but not limited to, the prior construction,            

                                                                                

8   operation, maintenance, and casing and the past or future                   

                                                                                

9   plugging of, repair of, or any corrective action associated with            

                                                                                

10  the well and any restoration and remediation of the well sites,             

                                                                                

11  shall be conducted by the prior or existing owner or operator of            

                                                                                

12  the well or other person as provided by law but not the county or           

                                                                                

13  an authority associated with or authorized by the county.                   

                                                                                

14      (2) As used in this section, "converted public park" means                  

                                                                                

15  property that is owned and operated by a county or an authority             

                                                                                

16  associated with or authorized by a county, that contains 1 or               

                                                                                

17  more oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601 or 1 or more              

                                                                                

18  abandoned oil or gas wells as defined in section 61601, that                

                                                                                

19  contains a landfill regulated under part 115, and that is being             

                                                                                

20  used or is intended to be used as a public park.