HOUSE BILL No. 5427

 

November 10, 2005, Introduced by Rep. Casperson and referred to the Committee on Conservation, Forestry, and Outdoor Recreation.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 63203 (MCL 324.63203), as added by 2004 PA 449.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 63203. (1) The department shall administer and enforce

 

this part in order to regulate nonferrous metallic mineral mining.

 

In addition to other powers granted to it, the department may

 

promulgate rules it considers necessary to carry out its duties

 

under this part, including standards for construction, operation,

 

closure, postclosure monitoring, reclamation, and remediation of a

 

nonferrous metallic mineral mine. However, the department shall not

 

promulgate any additional rules under this part after  December 31,

 

2005  January 31, 2006.

 


     (2) The department may do either of the following:

 

     (a) Enter at all reasonable times in or upon a mining area for

 

the purpose of inspecting and investigating conditions relating to

 

the operation of a mining area. However, an investigation or

 

inspection under this subsection shall comply with the United

 

States constitution, the state constitution of 1963, and this

 

section.

 

     (b) Conduct research or enter into contracts related to mining

 

areas and the reclamation of mining areas as may be necessary to

 

implement this part.

 

     (3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), a local unit of

 

government shall not regulate or control mining or reclamation

 

activities that are subject to this part, including construction,

 

operation, closure, postclosure monitoring, reclamation, and

 

remediation activities, and does not have jurisdiction concerning

 

the issuance of permits for those activities.

 

     (4) A local unit of government may enact, maintain, and

 

enforce ordinances, regulations, or resolutions affecting mining

 

operations if the ordinances, regulations, or resolutions do not

 

duplicate, contradict, or conflict with this part. In addition, a

 

local unit of government may enact, maintain, and enforce

 

ordinances, regulations, or resolutions regulating the hours at

 

which mining operations may take place and routes used by vehicles

 

in connection with mining operations. However, such ordinances,

 

regulations, or resolutions shall be reasonable in accommodating

 

customary nonferrous metallic mineral mining operations.

 

     (5) Subsections (3) and (4) do not prohibit a local unit of

 


government from conducting water quality monitoring.