HB-4257,As Passed Senate,May 29, 2003                                       

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

    SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR                                                       

                                                                                

    HOUSE BILL NO. 4257                                                         

                                                                                

    (As amended May 29, 2003)                                                   

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending sections 30301, 30305, 30306, 30312, 32501, 32512,              

                                                                                

    and 32513 (MCL 324.30301, 324.30305, 324.30306, 324.30312,                  

                                                                                

    324.32501, 324.32512, and 324.32513), sections 30301, 30312,                

                                                                                

    32501, and 32512 as added by 1995 PA 59, section 30305 as amended           

                                                                                

    by 1996 PA 550, section 30306 as amended by 1998 PA 228, and                

                                                                                

    section 32513 as amended by 1999 PA 106, and by adding sections             

                                                                                

    32512a and 32516.                                                           

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 30301.  As used in this part:                                          

       <<(a) "Beach" means the area landward of the shoreline of the Great Lakes as the term shoreline is defined in section 32301.>>                               

2      <<(b)>> "Beach maintenance activities" means any of the following        

                                                                                

3   in the area of Great Lakes bottomlands lying below the ordinary             

                                                                                

4   high-water mark and above the water's edge:                                 

                                                                                

5                                                                                (i) Manual or mechanized leveling of sand.                                          

                                                                                


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1       (ii) Mowing of vegetation.                                                   

                                                                                

2       (iii) Manual de minimis removal of vegetation.                               

                                                                                

3       (iv) Grooming of soil.                                                       

                                                                                

4       (v) Construction and maintenance of a path.                                 

                                                                                

5      <<(c)>> "Debris" means animal or fish carcasses, zebra mussel            

                                                                                

6   shells, dead vegetation, trash, and discarded materials of                  

                                                                                

7   human-made origin.                                                          

                                                                                

8      <<(d)>> "Department" means the department of environmental               

                                                                                

9   quality.                                                                    

                                                                                

10     <<(e)>> "Director" means the director of the department.                 

                                                                                

11     <<(f)>>  (a)  "Fill material" means soil, rocks, sand, waste of          

                                                                                

12  any kind, or any other material that displaces soil or water or             

                                                                                

13  reduces water retention potential.                                          

                                                                                

14     <<(g)>> "Environmental area" means an environmental area as              

                                                                                

15  defined in section 32301.                                                   

                                                                                

16     <<(h)>> "Grooming of soil" means raking or dragging, pushing, or         

                                                                                

17  pulling metal teeth through the top 4 inches of soil without                

                                                                                

18  disturbance of or destruction to plant roots, for the purpose of            

                                                                                

19  removing debris.                                                            

                                                                                

20     <<(i)>> "Leveling of sand" means the relocation of sand within           

                                                                                

21  areas being leveled that are predominantly free of vegetation,              

                                                                                

22  including the redistribution, grading, and spreading of sand that           

                                                                                

23  has been deposited through wind or wave action onto upland                  

                                                                                

24  riparian property.                                                          

                                                                                

25     <<(j)>>  (b)  "Minor drainage" includes ditching and tiling for          

                                                                                

26  the removal of excess soil moisture incidental to the planting,             

                                                                                

27  cultivating, protecting, or harvesting of crops or improving the            


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   productivity of land in established use for agriculture,                    

                                                                                

2   horticulture, silviculture, or lumbering.                                   

                                                                                

3      <<(k)>> "Mowing of vegetation" means the cutting of vegetation to        

                                                                                

4   a height of not less than 2 inches, without disturbance of soil             

                                                                                

5   or plant roots.                                                             

                                                                                

6      <<(l)>> "Ordinary high-water mark" means that term as it is              

                                                                                

7   defined in section 32502.                                                   

                                                                                

8      <<(m)>> "Path" means a temporary access walkway from the upland          

                                                                                

9   riparian property directly to the shoreline across swales with              

                                                                                

10  standing water, not exceeding 6 feet in bottom width and                    

                                                                                

11  consisting of sand and pebbles obtained from the exposed,                   

                                                                                

12  nonvegetated bottomlands or from the upland riparian property.              

                                                                                

13     <<(n)>>  (c)  "Person" means an individual, sole proprietorship,         

                                                                                

14  partnership, corporation, association, municipality, this state,            

                                                                                

15  and  an instrumentality or agency of this state, the federal               

                                                                                

16  government,  or  an instrumentality or agency of the federal                

                                                                                

17  government, or other legal entity.                                          

                                                                                

18     <<(o)>> "Removal of vegetation" means the manual or mechanized           

                                                                                

19  removal of vegetation, other than the manual de minimis removal             

                                                                                

20  of vegetation.                                                              

                                                                                

21     <<(p)>>  (d)  "Wetland" means land characterized by the presence         

                                                                                

22  of water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and             

                                                                                

23  that under normal circumstances does support, wetland vegetation            

                                                                                

24  or aquatic life, and is commonly referred to as a bog, swamp, or            

                                                                                

25  marsh and which is any of the following:                                    

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) Contiguous to the Great Lakes or Lake St. Clair, an                             

                                                                                

27  inland lake or pond, or a river or stream.                                  


                                                                                

1       (ii) Not contiguous to the Great Lakes, an inland lake or                    

                                                                                

2   pond, or a river or stream; and more than 5 acres in size; except           

                                                                                

3   this subparagraph shall not be of effect, except for the purpose            

                                                                                

4   of inventorying, in counties of less than 100,000 population                

                                                                                

5   until the department certifies to the commission it has                     

                                                                                

6   substantially completed its inventory of wetlands in that                   

                                                                                

7   county.                                                                     

                                                                                

8       (iii) Not contiguous to the Great Lakes, an inland lake or                   

                                                                                

9   pond, or a river or stream; and 5 acres or less in size if the              

                                                                                

10  department determines that protection of the area is essential to           

                                                                                

11  the preservation of the natural resources of the state from                 

                                                                                

12  pollution, impairment, or destruction and the department has so             

                                                                                

13  notified the owner; except this subparagraph may be utilized                

                                                                                

14  regardless of wetland size in a county in which subparagraph (ii)            

                                                                                

15  is of no effect; except for the purpose of inventorying, at the             

                                                                                

16  time.                                                                       

                                                                                

17      Sec. 30305.  (1) Activities that require a permit under                     

                                                                                

18  part 325 or part 301 or a discharge that is authorized by a                 

                                                                                

19  discharge permit under section 3112 or 3113 do not require a                

                                                                                

20  permit under this part.                                                     

                                                                                

21      (2) The following uses are allowed in a wetland without a                   

                                                                                

22  permit subject to other laws of this state and the owner's                  

                                                                                

23  regulation:                                                                 

                                                                                

24      (a) Fishing, trapping, or hunting.                                          

                                                                                

25      (b) Swimming or boating.                                                    

                                                                                

26      (c) Hiking.                                                                 

                                                                                

27      (d) Grazing of animals.                                                     


                                                                                

1       (e) Farming, horticulture, silviculture, lumbering, and                     

                                                                                

2   ranching activities, including plowing, irrigation, irrigation              

                                                                                

3   ditching, seeding, cultivating, minor drainage, harvesting for              

                                                                                

4   the production of food, fiber, and forest products, or upland               

                                                                                

5   soil and water conservation practices.  Wetland altered under               

                                                                                

6   this subdivision shall not be used for a purpose other than a               

                                                                                

7   purpose described in this subsection without a permit from the              

                                                                                

8   department.                                                                 

                                                                                

9       (f) Maintenance or operation of serviceable structures in                   

                                                                                

10  existence on October 1, 1980 or constructed pursuant to this part           

                                                                                

11  or former  Act No. 203 of the Public Acts of 1979  1979 PA 203.             

                                                                                

12      (g) Construction or maintenance of farm or stock ponds.                     

                                                                                

13      (h) Maintenance, operation, or improvement which includes                   

                                                                                

14  straightening, widening, or deepening of the following which is             

                                                                                

15  necessary for the production or harvesting of agricultural                  

                                                                                

16  products:                                                                   

                                                                                

17                                                                               (i) An existing private agricultural drain.                                         

                                                                                

18      (ii) That portion of a drain legally established pursuant to                 

                                                                                

19  the drain code of 1956,  Act No. 40 of the Public Acts of 1956,             

                                                                                

20  being sections 280.1 to 280.630 of the Michigan Compiled Laws               

                                                                                

21  1956 PA 40, MCL 280.1 to 280.630, which has been constructed or             

                                                                                

22  improved for drainage purposes.                                             

                                                                                

23      (iii) A drain constructed pursuant to other provisions of                    

                                                                                

24  this part or former  Act No. 203 of the Public Acts of 1979  1979           

                                                                                

25  PA 203.                                                                     

                                                                                

26      (i) Construction or maintenance of farm roads, forest roads,                

                                                                                

27  or temporary roads for moving mining or forestry equipment, if              


                                                                                

1   the roads are constructed and maintained in a manner to assure              

                                                                                

2   that any adverse effect on the wetland will be otherwise                    

                                                                                

3   minimized.                                                                  

                                                                                

4       (j) Drainage necessary for the production and harvesting of                 

                                                                                

5   agricultural products if the wetland is owned by a person who is            

                                                                                

6   engaged in commercial farming and the land is to be used for the            

                                                                                

7   production and harvesting of agricultural products.  Except as              

                                                                                

8   otherwise provided in this part, wetland improved under this                

                                                                                

9   subdivision after October 1, 1980 shall not be used for                     

                                                                                

10  nonfarming purposes without a permit from the department.  This             

                                                                                

11  subdivision  shall  does not apply to a wetland  which  that is             

                                                                                

12  contiguous to a lake or stream, or to a tributary of a lake or              

                                                                                

13  stream, or to a wetland that the department has determined by               

                                                                                

14  clear and convincing evidence to be a wetland that is necessary             

                                                                                

15  to be preserved for the public interest, in which case a permit             

                                                                                

16  is required.                                                                

                                                                                

17      (k) Maintenance or improvement of public streets, highways,                 

                                                                                

18  or roads, within the right-of-way and in such a manner as to                

                                                                                

19  assure that any adverse effect on the wetland will be otherwise             

                                                                                

20  minimized.  Maintenance or improvement does not include adding              

                                                                                

21  extra lanes, increasing the right-of-way, or deviating from the             

                                                                                

22  existing location of the street, highway, or road.                          

                                                                                

23                                                                               (l) Maintenance, repair, or operation of gas or oil pipelines                       

                                                                                

24  and construction of gas or oil pipelines having a diameter of 6             

                                                                                

25  inches or less, if the pipelines are constructed, maintained, or            

                                                                                

26  repaired in a manner to assure that any adverse effect on the               

                                                                                

27  wetland will be otherwise minimized.                                        


                                                                                

1       (m) Maintenance, repair, or operation of electric                           

                                                                                

2   transmission and distribution power lines and construction of               

                                                                                

3   distribution power lines, if the distribution power lines are               

                                                                                

4   constructed, maintained, or repaired in a manner to assure that             

                                                                                

5   any adverse effect on the wetland will be otherwise minimized.              

                                                                                

6       (n) Operation or maintenance, including reconstruction of                   

                                                                                

7   recently damaged parts, of serviceable dikes and levees in                  

                                                                                

8   existence on October 1, 1980 or constructed pursuant to this part           

                                                                                

9   or former  Act No. 203 of the Public Acts of 1979  1979 PA 203.             

                                                                                

10      (o) Construction of iron and copper mining tailings basins                  

                                                                                

11  and water storage areas.                                                    

                                                                                

12      (p) Until November 1, 2007, beach maintenance activities that               

                                                                                

13  meet all of the following conditions:                                       

                                                                                

14                                                                               (i) The activities shall not occur in environmental areas and                       

                                                                                

15  shall not violate part 365 or rules promulgated under that part,            

                                                                                

16  or the endangered species act of 1973, Public Law 93-205, 87                

                                                                                

17  Stat. 884, or rules promulgated under that act.                             

                                                                                

18      (ii) The width of any mowing of vegetation shall not exceed                  

                                                                                

19  the width of the riparian property or 100 feet, whichever is                

                                                                                

20  less.                                                                       

                                                                                

21      (iii) All collected debris shall be disposed of properly                     

                                                                                

22  outside of any wetland.                                                     

                                                                                

23      (q) Until 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory                

                                                                                

24  act that added this subdivision, removal of vegetation as                   

                                                                                

25  authorized under section 32516.                                             

                                                                                

26      (3) An activity in a wetland that was effectively drained for               

                                                                                

27  farming before October 1, 1980 and that on and after October 1,             


                                                                                

1   1980 has continued to be effectively drained as part of an                  

                                                                                

2   ongoing farming operation is not subject to regulation under this           

                                                                                

3   part.                                                                       

                                                                                

4       (4) A wetland that is incidentally created as a result of 1                 

                                                                                

5   or more of the following activities is not subject to regulation            

                                                                                

6   under this part:                                                            

                                                                                

7       (a) Excavation for mineral or sand mining, if the area was                  

                                                                                

8   not a wetland before excavation.  This exemption does not include           

                                                                                

9   a wetland on or adjacent to a water body of 1 acre or more in               

                                                                                

10  size.                                                                       

                                                                                

11      (b) Construction and operation of a water treatment pond or                 

                                                                                

12  lagoon in compliance with the requirements of state or federal              

                                                                                

13  water pollution control regulations.                                        

                                                                                

14      (c) A diked area associated with a landfill if the landfill                 

                                                                                

15  complies with the terms of the landfill construction permit and             

                                                                                

16  if the diked area was not a wetland before diking.                          

                                                                                

17      Sec. 30306.  (1) Except as provided in section 30307(6), to                 

                                                                                

18  obtain a permit for a use or development listed in section 30304,           

                                                                                

19  a person shall file an application with the department on a form            

                                                                                

20  provided by the department.  The application shall include all of           

                                                                                

21  the following:                                                              

                                                                                

22      (a) The person's name and address.                                          

                                                                                

23      (b) The location of the wetland.                                            

                                                                                

24      (c) A description of the wetland on which the use or                        

                                                                                

25  development is to be made.                                                  

                                                                                

26      (d) A statement and appropriate drawings describing the                     

                                                                                

27  proposed use or development.                                                


                                                                                

1       (e) The wetland owner's name and address.                                   

                                                                                

2       (f) An environmental assessment of the proposed use or                      

                                                                                

3   development if requested by the department, which assessment                

                                                                                

4   shall include the effects upon wetland benefits and the effects             

                                                                                

5   upon the water quality, flow, and levels, and the wildlife, fish,           

                                                                                

6   and vegetation within a contiguous lake, river, or stream.                  

                                                                                

7       (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a proposed use or                   

                                                                                

8   development of a wetland shall be considered as a single permit             

                                                                                

9   application under this part if the scope, extent, and purpose of            

                                                                                

10  a use or development are made known at the time of the                      

                                                                                

11  application for the permit.                                                 

                                                                                

12      (3) Except as provided in subsections (4) and (5), an                       

                                                                                

13  application for a permit submitted under subsection (1) shall be            

                                                                                

14  accompanied by the following fee:                                           

                                                                                

15      (a) For a project in a category of activities for which a                   

                                                                                

16  general permit is issued under section 30312, a fee of $100.00.             

                                                                                

17      (b) For a permit for the removal of vegetation in an area                   

                                                                                

18  that is not more than 100 feet wide or the width of the property,           

                                                                                

19  whichever is less, or the mowing of vegetation in excess of what            

                                                                                

20  is allowed in section 30305(2)(p)(ii), in the area between the               

                                                                                

21  ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge, a fee of $50.00.             

                                                                                

22      (c)  (b)  For a major project, including any of the                         

                                                                                

23  following, a fee of $2,000.00:                                              

                                                                                

24                                                                               (i) Filling or draining of 1 acre or more of coastal or                             

                                                                                

25  inland wetland.                                                             

                                                                                

26      (ii) 10,000 cubic yards or more of wetland fill.                             

                                                                                

27      (iii) A new golf course impacting wetland.                                   


                                                                                

1       (iv) A subdivision impacting wetland.                                        

                                                                                

2       (v) A condominium impacting wetland.                                        

                                                                                

3       (d)  (c)  For all other projects, a fee of $500.00.                         

                                                                                

4       (4) A project that requires review and approval under this                  

                                                                                

5   part and 1 or more of the following is subject to only the single           

                                                                                

6   highest permit fee required under this part or the following:               

                                                                                

7       (a) Section 3104.                                                           

                                                                                

8       (b) Part 301.                                                               

                                                                                

9       (c) Part 323.                                                               

                                                                                

10      (d) Part 325.                                                               

                                                                                

11      (e) Section 117 of the land division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL                  

                                                                                

12  560.117.                                                                    

                                                                                

13      (5) If work has been done in violation of a permit                          

                                                                                

14  requirement under this part and restoration is not ordered by the           

                                                                                

15  department, the department may accept an application for a permit           

                                                                                

16  if the application is accompanied by a fee equal to twice the               

                                                                                

17  permit fee required under this section.                                     

                                                                                

18      (6) If the department determines that a permit is not                       

                                                                                

19  required under this part, the department shall promptly refund              

                                                                                

20  the fee paid under this section.                                            

                                                                                

21      Sec. 30312.  (1) The department, after notice and                           

                                                                                

22  opportunity for a public hearing, may issue general permits on a            

                                                                                

23  state or county  statewide basis or within a local unit of                 

                                                                                

24  government for a category of activities if the department                   

                                                                                

25  determines that the activities are similar in nature, will cause            

                                                                                

26  only minimal adverse environmental effects when performed                   

                                                                                

27  separately, and will have only minimal cumulative adverse effect            


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   on the environment.  A general permit issued under this                     

                                                                                

2   subsection shall be based on the requirements of this part and              

                                                                                

3   the rules promulgated under this part, and shall set forth the              

                                                                                

4   requirements and standards that shall apply to an activity                  

                                                                                

5   authorized by the general permit.                                           

                                                                                

6       (2) The department may impose conditions on a permit for a                  

                                                                                

7   use or development if the conditions are designed to remove an              

                                                                                

8   impairment to the wetland benefits, to mitigate the impact of a             

                                                                                

9   discharge of fill material, or to otherwise improve the water               

                                                                                

10  quality.                                                                    

                                                                                

11      (3) The department may establish a reasonable time when the                 

                                                                                

12  construction, development, or use is to be completed or                     

                                                                                

13  terminated.  A general permit shall not be valid for more than 5            

                                                                                

14  years.                                                                      

                                                                                

15      (4) A general permit under this section may be issued for the               

                                                                                

16  mowing of vegetation or the removal of vegetation in the area               

                                                                                

17  between the ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge.  An              

                                                                                

18  application under this subsection may be submitted by a local               

                                                                                

19  unit of government on behalf of property owners within its                  

                                                                                

20  jurisdiction or by 1 or more adjacent property owners for                   

                                                                                

21  riparian property located within the same county.                           

                                                                                

22      Sec. 32501.  As used in this part:  , "marina                               

       <<(a) "Beach" means the area landward of the shoreline of the Great Lakes as the term shoreline is defined in section 32301.>>                               

23     <<(b)>> "Beach maintenance activities" means any of the following        

                                                                                

24  in the area of Great Lakes bottomlands lying below the ordinary             

                                                                                

25  high-water mark and above the water's edge:                                 

                                                                                

26                                                                               (i) Manual or mechanized leveling of sand.                                          

                                                                                

27      (ii) Mowing of vegetation.                                                   


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1       (iii) Manual de minimis removal of vegetation.                               

                                                                                

2       (iv) Grooming of soil.                                                       

                                                                                

3       (v) Construction and maintenance of a path.                                 

                                                                                

4      <<(c)>> "Debris" means animal or fish carcasses, zebra mussel            

                                                                                

5   shells, dead vegetation, trash, and discarded materials of                  

                                                                                

6   human-made origin.                                                          

                                                                                

7      <<(d)>> "Department" means the department of environmental               

                                                                                

8   quality.                                                                    

                                                                                

9      <<(e)>> "Director" means the director of the department.                 

                                                                                

10     <<(f)>> "Environmental area" means an environmental area as              

                                                                                

11  defined in section 32301.                                                   

                                                                                

12     <<(g)>> "Grooming of soil" means raking or dragging, pushing, or         

                                                                                

13  Pulling metal teeth through the top 4 inches of soil without                

                                                                                

14  disturbance of or destruction to plant roots, for the purpose of            

                                                                                

15  removing debris.                                                            

                                                                                

16     <<(h)>> "Leveling of sand" means the relocation of sand within           

                                                                                

17  areas being leveled that are predominantly free of vegetation,              

                                                                                

18  including the redistribution, grading, and spreading of sand that           

                                                                                

19  has been deposited through wind or wave action onto upland                  

                                                                                

20  riparian property.                                                          

                                                                                

21     <<(i)>> "Marina purposes" means an operation making use of               

                                                                                

22  submerged bottomlands or filled-in bottomlands of the Great Lakes           

                                                                                

23  for the purpose of service to boat owners or operators, which               

                                                                                

24  operation may restrict or prevent the free public use of the                

                                                                                

25  affected bottomlands or filled-in lands.                                    

                                                                                

26     <<(j)>> "Mowing of vegetation" means the cutting of vegetation to        

                                                                                

27  a height of not less than 2 inches, without disturbance of soil             


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   or plant roots.                                                             

                                                                                

2      <<(k)>> "Path" means a temporary access walkway from the upland          

                                                                                

3   riparian property directly to the shoreline across swales with              

                                                                                

4   standing water, not exceeding 6 feet in bottom width and                    

                                                                                

5   consisting of sand and pebbles obtained from the exposed,                   

                                                                                

6   nonvegetated bottomlands or from the upland riparian property.              

                                                                                

7      <<(l)>> "Removal of vegetation" means the manual or mechanized           

                                                                                

8   removal of vegetation other than the de minimis removal of                  

                                                                                

9   vegetation.                                                                 

                                                                                

10     <<(m)>> "Wetland" means that term as it is defined in section            

                                                                                

11  30301.                                                                      

                                                                                

12      Sec. 32512.  (1) Unless a permit has been granted by the                    

                                                                                

13  department or authorization has been granted by the legislature,            

                                                                                

14  or except as to boat wells and slips facilitating private,                  

                                                                                

15  noncommercial, recreational boat use, not exceeding 50 feet in              

                                                                                

16  length where the spoil is not disposed of below the ordinary                

                                                                                

17  high-water mark of the body of water to which it is connected, a            

                                                                                

18  person shall not do any of the following:                                   

                                                                                

19      (a) Construct, dredge, commence, or do any work with respect                

                                                                                

20  to an artificial canal, channel, ditch, lagoon, pond, lake, or              

                                                                                

21  similar waterway where the purpose is ultimate connection of the            

                                                                                

22  waterway with any of the Great Lakes, including Lake St. Clair.             

                                                                                

23      (b) Connect any natural or artificially constructed waterway,               

                                                                                

24  canal, channel, ditch, lagoon, pond, lake, or similar waterway              

                                                                                

25  with any of the Great Lakes, including Lake St. Clair, for                  

                                                                                

26  navigation or any other purpose.                                            

                                                                                

27      (c) Dredge or place spoil or other material on bottomland.                  


                                                                                

1       (d) Construct a marina.                                                     

                                                                                

2       (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), and with respect to lands               

                                                                                

3   covered and affected by this part, a permit or other approval is            

                                                                                

4   not required under this part for either of the following:                   

                                                                                

5       (a) Until November 1, 2007, beach maintenance activities that               

                                                                                

6   meet all of the following conditions:                                       

                                                                                

7                                                                                (i) The activities shall not occur in environmental areas and                       

                                                                                

8   shall not violate part 365 or rules promulgated under that part,            

                                                                                

9   or the endangered species act of 1973, Public Law 93-205, 87                

                                                                                

10  Stat. 884, or rules promulgated under that act.                             

                                                                                

11      (ii) The width of any mowing of vegetation shall not exceed                  

                                                                                

12  the width of the riparian property or 100 feet, whichever is                

                                                                                

13  less.                                                                       

                                                                                

14      (iii) All collected debris shall be disposed of properly                     

                                                                                

15  outside of any wetland.                                                     

                                                                                

16      (b) Until 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory                

                                                                                

17  act that added this subdivision, removal of vegetation as                   

                                                                                

18  authorized in section 32516.                                                

                                                                                

19      Sec. 32512a.  (1) The department, after notice and                          

                                                                                

20  opportunity for a public hearing, may issue general permits on a            

                                                                                

21  statewide basis or within a local unit of government for a                  

                                                                                

22  category of activities if the department determines that the                

                                                                                

23  activities are similar in nature, will cause only minimal adverse           

                                                                                

24  environmental effects when performed separately, and will have              

                                                                                

25  only minimal cumulative adverse effect on the environment.  A               

                                                                                

26  general permit issued under this subsection shall be based on the           

                                                                                

27  requirements of this part and the rules promulgated under this              


                                                                                

1   part, and shall set forth the requirements and standards that               

                                                                                

2   shall apply to an activity authorized by the general permit.                

                                                                                

3       (2) A general permit issued under this section shall not be                 

                                                                                

4   valid for more than 5 years.                                                

                                                                                

5       (3) A general permit under this section may be issued for the               

                                                                                

6   mowing of vegetation or the removal of vegetation in the area               

                                                                                

7   between the ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge.  An              

                                                                                

8   application under this subsection may be submitted by a local               

                                                                                

9   unit of government on behalf of property owners within its                  

                                                                                

10  jurisdiction or by 1 or more adjacent property owners for                   

                                                                                

11  riparian property located within the same county.                           

                                                                                

12      Sec. 32513.  (1) Before any work or connection specified in                 

                                                                                

13  section 32512 or 32512a is undertaken, a person shall file an               

                                                                                

14  application with the department of environmental quality setting            

                                                                                

15  forth the following:                                                        

                                                                                

16      (a) The name and address of the applicant.                                  

                                                                                

17      (b) The legal description of the lands included in the                      

                                                                                

18  project.                                                                    

                                                                                

19      (c) A summary statement of the purpose of the project.                      

                                                                                

20      (d) A map or diagram showing the proposal on an adequate                    

                                                                                

21  scale with contours and cross-section profiles of the waterway to           

                                                                                

22  be constructed.                                                             

                                                                                

23      (e) Other information required by the department of                         

                                                                                

24  environmental quality.                                                      

                                                                                

25      (2) Except as provided in subsections (3) and (4), an                       

                                                                                

26  application for a permit under this section shall be accompanied            

                                                                                

27  by a fee according to the following schedule:                               


                                                                                

1       (a) Until October 1,  2003  2004:                                           

                                                                                

2                                                                                (i) For a project in a category at activities for which a                           

                                                                                

3   general permit is issued under section 32512a, a fee of $100.00.            

                                                                                

4       (ii)  (i)  For activities included in the minor project                      

                                                                                

5   category as described in rules promulgated under this part and              

                                                                                

6   for a permit for the removal of vegetation in an area that is not           

                                                                                

7   more than 100 feet wide or the width of the property, whichever             

                                                                                

8   is less, or the mowing of vegetation in excess of what is allowed           

                                                                                

9   in section 32512(2)(a)(ii), in the area between the ordinary                 

                                                                                

10  high-water mark and the water's edge, a fee of $50.00.                      

                                                                                

11      (iii)  (ii)  For construction or expansion of a marina, a fee                  

                                                                                

12  of:                                                                         

                                                                                

13      (A) $50.00 for an expansion of 1-10 slips to an existing                    

                                                                                

14  permitted marina.                                                           

                                                                                

15      (B) $100.00 for a new marina with 1-10 proposed marina                      

                                                                                

16  slips.                                                                      

                                                                                

17      (C) $250.00 for an expansion of 11-50 slips to an existing                  

                                                                                

18  permitted marina, plus $10.00 for each slip over 50.                        

                                                                                

19      (D) $500.00 for a new marina with 11-50 proposed marina                     

                                                                                

20  slips, plus $10.00 for each slip over 50.                                   

                                                                                

21      (E) $1,500.00 if an existing permitted marina proposes                      

                                                                                

22  maintenance dredging of 10,000 cubic yards or more or the                   

                                                                                

23  addition of seawalls, bulkheads, or revetments of 500 feet or               

                                                                                

24  more.                                                                       

                                                                                

25      (iv)  (iii)  For major projects other than a project                          

                                                                                

26  described in subparagraph  (ii)(E)  (iii)(E), involving any of                 

                                                                                

27  the following, a fee of $2,000.00:                                          


                                                                                

1       (A) Dredging of 10,000 cubic yards or more.                                 

                                                                                

2       (B) Filling of 10,000 cubic yards or more.                                  

                                                                                

3       (C) Seawalls, bulkheads, or revetment of 500 feet or more.                  

                                                                                

4       (D) Filling or draining of 1 acre or more of coastal                        

                                                                                

5   wetland.                                                                    

                                                                                

6       (E) New dredging or upland boat basin excavation in areas of                

                                                                                

7   suspected contamination.                                                    

                                                                                

8       (F) New breakwater or channel jetty.                                        

                                                                                

9       (G) Shore protection, such as groins and underwater                         

                                                                                

10  stabilizers, that extend 150 feet or more on Great Lakes                    

                                                                                

11  bottomlands.                                                                

                                                                                

12      (H) New commercial dock or wharf of 300 feet or more in                     

                                                                                

13  length.                                                                     

                                                                                

14      (v)  (iv)  For all other projects not listed in subparagraphs                

                                                                                

15  (i) through  (iii)  (iv), $500.00.                                             

                                                                                

16      (b) Beginning October 1,  2003  2004, a fee of $50.00 for any               

                                                                                

17  project listed in subdivision (a).                                          

                                                                                

18      (3) A project that requires review and approval under this                  

                                                                                

19  part and 1 or more of the following is subject to only the single           

                                                                                

20  highest permit fee required under this part or the following:               

                                                                                

21      (a) Part 301.                                                               

                                                                                

22      (b) Part 303.                                                               

                                                                                

23      (c) Part 323.                                                               

                                                                                

24      (d) Section 3104.                                                           

                                                                                

25      (e) Section 117 of the land division act, 1967 PA 288, MCL                  

                                                                                

26  560.117.                                                                    

                                                                                

27      (4) If work has been done in violation of a permit                          


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   requirement under this part and restoration is not ordered by the           

                                                                                

2   department of environmental quality, the department of                      

                                                                                

3   environmental quality may accept an application for a permit if             

                                                                                

4   the application is accompanied by a fee equal to 2 times the                

                                                                                

5   permit fee required under this section.                                     

                                                                                

6       (5) The department of environmental quality shall forward all               

                                                                                

7   fees collected under this section to the state treasurer for                

                                                                                

8   deposit into the land and water management permit fee fund                  

                                                                                

9   created in section 30113.                                                   

                                                                                

10      Sec. 32516.  (1) Within 10 working days after the effective                 

                                                                                

11  date of the amendatory act that added this section, the director            

                                                                                

12  shall identify 2 areas of the shoreline of the Great Lakes and              

                                                                                

13  Lake St. Clair where the removal of vegetation between the                  

                                                                                

14  ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge shall be allowed              

                                                                                

15  without a permit under this part or part 303.  The designation              

                                                                                

16  shall be made in writing, is final, and is not subject to                   

                                                                                

17  appeal.  Within 1 year after this designation is made, the                  

                                                                                

18  director <<may>> designate additional areas unless he or she                

                                                                                

19  determines that making additional designations would result in              

                                                                                

20  pollution, impairment, <<or>> destruction to the natural resources          

                                                                                

21  of the state.  Within areas designated by the director under this           

                                                                                

22  subsection, the removal of vegetation is allowed if all of the              

                                                                                

23  following conditions are met:                                               

                                                                                

24      (a) The landowner has received a letter of approval from the                

                                                                                

25  department under subsection (2) confirming <<at least 3>> of the following:

                                                                                                                                                                 

26      <<(i) The area is unconsolidated material predominately composed of         

                                                                                

27  sand, rock, or pebbles, or is predominately vegetated by non-native or      


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   invasive species.                                                           

                                                                                

2       (ii) The area met the requirement of subparagraph (i) as of January 1, 1997.>>

                                                                                

3       <<(iii)>> The removal of vegetation does not violate part 365 or             

                                                                                

4   rules promulgated under that part, or the endangered species act            

                                                                                

5   of 1973, Public Law 93-205, 87 Stat. 884, or rules promulgated              

                                                                                

6   under that act.                                                             

                                                                                

7       <<(iv)>> The area in which removal of vegetation may occur is                

                                                                                

8   not an environmental area.                                                  

                                                                                

9       (b) <<The                                                       >>          

                                                                                

10  area in which removal of vegetation may occur does not exceed 50%           

                                                                                

11  of the width of the upland riparian property or 100 feet,                   

                                                                                

12  whichever is greater<<, or a wider area if approved by the director>>.      

                                                                                

13                                                                               <<                                                                  

                                                                                

14                                                                              

                                                                                

15                                                                              

                                                                                

16                                                                              

                                                                                

17                          >>                                                  

                                                                                

18     <<(c)>> All collected vegetation shall be disposed of properly           

                                                                                

19  outside of any wetland.                                                     

                                                                                

20      (2) A person who owns riparian property on the shoreline of                 

                                                                                

21  the Great Lakes or Lake St. Clair within an area designated under           

                                                                                

22  subsection (1) may submit to the director a request to conduct              

                                                                                

23  removal of vegetation.  The request shall be submitted by                   

                                                                                

24  certified mail or facsimile and shall include the address of the            

                                                                                

25  property, a parcel description by section, township, and range,             

                                                                                

26  the parcel tax number, <<the width in feet of the shoreline frontage, the width of the area proposed for removal of vegetation,>> and permission for the department to

27  conduct an on-site inspection, if needed.  Within 10 working days           


    House Bill No. 4257 as amended May 29, 2003                                 

1   after receipt of a request under this subsection, the director              

                                                                                

2   shall notify the riparian property owner, in writing, whether the           

                                                                                

3   conditions in subsection (1)(a) are met.                                    

                                                                                

4       (3) Upon receipt of a letter of approval under subsection                   

                                                                                

5   (2), the riparian property owner may conduct the removal of                 

                                                                                

6   vegetation as provided in subsection (1).                                   

                                                                                

7       (4) By January 1, 2006, the director shall prepare and submit               

                                                                                

8   to the senate majority leader, speaker of the house of                      

                                                                                

9   representatives, the standing committees of the legislature with            

                                                                                

10  jurisdiction primarily related to natural resources and the                 

                                                                                

11  environment, and the governor a report that evaluates the                   

                                                                                

12  activities allowed under subsection (1), describes the impacts to           

                                                                                

13  the affected areas, and recommends statutory changes based upon             

                                                                                

14  the evaluation<<, if appropriate>>.                                         

                                                                                

15                                                                               <<                                  

                                                                                

16                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                

17                                                                              

                                                                                

18                                                                              

                                                                                

19                                                                              

                                                                                

20                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                

21                                                                              

                                                                                

22                                                >>