SENATE BILL No. 1346

 

 

September 8, 2004, Introduced by Senator BIRKHOLZ and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending section 5204 (MCL 324.5204), as added by 2002 PA 397,           

                                                                                

    and by adding part 50.                                                      

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1                    PART 50 ON-SITE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS                           

                                                                                

2       Sec. 5001.  As used in this part:                                           

                                                                                

3       (a) "Department" means the department of environmental                      

                                                                                

4   quality.                                                                    

                                                                                

5       (b) "Model ordinance" means the model county ordinance                      

                                                                                

6   prepared under section 5002.                                                

                                                                                

7       (c) "On-site disposal system" or "system" means a natural                   

                                                                                

8   system or mechanical device used to collect, treat, and discharge           

                                                                                

9   or reclaim wastewater from 1 or more dwelling units without the             

                                                                                

10  use of community-wide sewers or a centralized treatment                     

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   facility.                                                                   

                                                                                

2       Sec. 5002.  (1) The department shall prepare a model county                 

                                                                                

3   ordinance that establishes standards for the design,                        

                                                                                

4   installation, and maintenance of on-site disposal systems.  The             

                                                                                

5   model ordinance shall include all of the following:                         

                                                                                

6       (a) A prioritization procedure that identifies and addresses                

                                                                                

7   first those systems that are at greatest risk of contaminating              

                                                                                

8   ground or surface waters of the state including, but not limited            

                                                                                

9   to, both of the following:                                                  

                                                                                

10                                                                               (i) Waters that are identified as impaired on the list                              

                                                                                

11  prepared under section 303(d) of title III of the federal water             

                                                                                

12  pollution control act, 33 USC 1313, for pathogens or untreated              

                                                                                

13  sewage.                                                                     

                                                                                

14      (ii) Areas identified as having significant ecological                       

                                                                                

15  importance.                                                                 

                                                                                

16      (b) Standards for the minimum height the system should be                   

                                                                                

17  situated above groundwater before fill.                                     

                                                                                

18      (c) Standards for siting and maintenance that require                       

                                                                                

19  consideration of soil permeability.                                         

                                                                                

20      (d) Standards for siting and maintenance based on distance                  

                                                                                

21  from a water body.                                                          

                                                                                

22      (e) Standards that address the appropriateness of a system                  

                                                                                

23  based on current use.                                                       

                                                                                

24      (2) The model ordinance may require different standards for                 

                                                                                

25  on-site disposal systems based upon the geologic conditions in              

                                                                                

26  which the system is located or proposed to be located.                      

                                                                                

27      Sec. 5003.  (1) Property containing an on-site disposal                     


                                                                                

1   system shall not be transferred unless the system has been                  

                                                                                

2   inspected and a written copy of the inspection report is provided           

                                                                                

3   to the prospective transferee as provided in subsection (3).  The           

                                                                                

4   inspection shall determine all of the following:                            

                                                                                

5       (a) Whether the system is in compliance with all applicable                 

                                                                                

6   county ordinances.                                                          

                                                                                

7       (b) Whether the system is functioning in the manner that it                 

                                                                                

8   was designed to function.                                                   

                                                                                

9       (c) Whether the holding tank of the system needs to be                      

                                                                                

10  emptied.                                                                    

                                                                                

11      (d) For systems installed on or after the effective date of                 

                                                                                

12  an applicable county ordinance, the actions needed to bring the             

                                                                                

13  system into compliance with the ordinance.                                  

                                                                                

14      (e) For systems installed prior to the effective date of an                 

                                                                                

15  applicable county ordinance, the actions needed to allow the                

                                                                                

16  system to function in the manner that it was designed to                    

                                                                                

17  function.                                                                   

                                                                                

18      (2) The inspection under subsection (1) shall be conducted by               

                                                                                

19  the county in which the system is located or a person authorized            

                                                                                

20  by that county to conduct the inspection.  The county or person             

                                                                                

21  authorized by the county to conduct inspections may charge a                

                                                                                

22  reasonable fee not to exceed the costs of conducting the                    

                                                                                

23  inspections.                                                                

                                                                                

24      (3) The written copy of the inspection report shall be                      

                                                                                

25  provided to the prospective transferee not later than the time              

                                                                                

26  prescribed for providing the written disclosure statement under             

                                                                                

27  the seller disclosure act, 1993 PA 92, MCL 565.951 to 565.966, as           


                                                                                

1   provided in section 4 of the seller disclosure act, 1993 PA 92,             

                                                                                

2   MCL 565.954.                                                                

                                                                                

3       (4) The actions required under subsection (1)(d) or (e), as                 

                                                                                

4   applicable, shall be undertaken within 1 year after the date the            

                                                                                

5   inspection report was provided to the prospective transferee                

                                                                                

6   under subsection (3).                                                       

                                                                                

7       (5) This section does not apply to transfers of property                    

                                                                                

8   described in section 3 of the seller disclosure act, 1993 PA 92,            

                                                                                

9   MCL 565.953.                                                                

                                                                                

10      Sec. 5004.  Each county shall provide educational materials                 

                                                                                

11  to the owners of on-site disposal systems located within its                

                                                                                

12  jurisdiction at least once each year.  The educational materials            

                                                                                

13  distributed under this section shall be developed by the                    

                                                                                

14  department and shall be provided to each county for distribution.           

                                                                                

15      Sec. 5204.  (1) The strategic water quality initiatives fund                

                                                                                

16  is created within the state treasury.                                       

                                                                                

17      (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets                   

                                                                                

18  from any source for deposit into the fund.  The state treasurer             

                                                                                

19  shall direct the investment of the fund.  The state treasurer               

                                                                                

20  shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund                    

                                                                                

21  investments.  The authority shall act as fiscal agent for the               

                                                                                

22  fund in accordance with the shared credit rating act, 1985                  

                                                                                

23  PA 227, MCL 141.1051 to 141.1076.                                           

                                                                                

24      (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall                 

                                                                                

25  remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.                 

                                                                                

26      (4) Money in the fund shall be used, upon appropriation, only               

                                                                                

27  for the following purposes:                                                 


                                                                                

1       (a) Not more than $5,000,000.00 by the department for grants                

                                                                                

2   to counties to conduct inspections of on-site disposal systems              

                                                                                

3   under part 50.  Of the money appropriated under this subsection,            

                                                                                

4   not more than 5% may be used by the department for administrative           

                                                                                

5   costs.                                                                      

                                                                                

6       (b)  (4) The  By the authority in consultation with the                     

                                                                                

7   department  shall expend money from the fund, upon appropriation,           

                                                                                

8   only  for loans and for the costs of the authority and the                  

                                                                                

9   department in administering the fund.                                       

                                                                                

10      (5) The fund may be pledged as security for bonds to be                     

                                                                                

11  issued by the authority for the purpose of funding loans if                 

                                                                                

12  authorized by the state administrative board.