March 18, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Shackleton, Sheltrown, Walker, Brown, Kooiman, LaJoy, Palsrok, Bieda and Pastor and referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Tourism.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
(MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) by adding part 360.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 PART 360
2 ADOPT-A-FOREST PROGRAM
3 Sec. 36001. As used in this part:
4 (a) "Participant" means a volunteer group or individual
5 participating in the adopt-a-forest program.
6 (b) "Wastes" includes solid waste as defined in part 115,
7 hazardous waste as defined in part 111, and other recyclable
8 materials.
9 Sec. 36002. (1) The department shall administer a program
10 entitled the adopt-a-forest program, which shall be designed to
11 remove illegally dumped waste from public forestlands. The
1 program shall include public informational activities but shall
2 be directed primarily toward encouraging and retaining the
3 participation of volunteers in cleaning up public forestlands in
4 the state.
5 (2) The department may enter into agreements with
6 participants to implement the adopt-a-forest program. An
7 agreement shall be for up to a 3-year period, after which a new
8 agreement may be entered into. The provisions in agreements with
9 participants shall include, but need not be limited to, both of
10 the following:
11 (a) Identification of a parcel of public forestland. A
12 participant may request a specific parcel of forestland it wishes
13 to adopt. In assisting participants in selecting a parcel of
14 forestland, the department shall cooperate with affected federal,
15 state, and local management agencies and nonprofit
16 organizations.
17 (b) Specification of the responsibilities of the participant
18 as follows:
19 (i) The responsibilities shall include the removal of wastes
20 from the designated parcel at least once per year. The
21 participant shall cooperate with the department to promote
22 recycling or proper disposal of recovered recyclable materials,
23 scrap tires, and hazardous waste.
24 (ii) The responsibilities shall include the participant's
25 agreement to abide by guidelines related to the program that are
26 adopted by the department under section 36003.
27 (iii) The responsibilities may include other activities
1 approved by the department that are environmentally sound.
2 Sec. 36003. In implementing this part and the
3 adopt-a-forest program, the department shall do all of the
4 following:
5 (a) Adopt guidelines related to the operation of the
6 adopt-a-forest program.
7 (b) Create a recognition program that acknowledges the
8 efforts of participants. Any recognition that includes signage
9 shall comply with the following:
10 (i) Not more than 1 sign shall be placed to recognize a
11 participant adopting a particular forest.
12 (ii) The sign shall not be larger than 3 feet by 3 feet in
13 area.
14 (iii) The sign shall be located only at a parking lot,
15 trailhead, or roadside.
16 (c) Provide safety information and assistance to
17 participants.
18 (d) Provide participants with natural resource information
19 and educational materials.
20 (e) Assist in coordinating cleanups and identifying locations
21 of wastes on public forestlands for recovery by participants.
22 (f) Develop, as part of the guidelines under subdivision (a),
23 a data tracking system related to cleanup activities.
24 Sec. 36004. (1) The department may provide up to 100% of
25 preapproved waste disposal fees upon request by a participant in
26 any fiscal year as long as funds are available and the
27 participant provides in-kind services equaling or exceeding 25%
1 of the amount of the fees.
2 (2) The department shall compile information gathered from
3 the data tracking system under section 36003(f) for inclusion in
4 the annual report prepared under section 36005.
5 (3) Any money received by a participant from the sale of
6 recyclable materials may be retained by the participant to be
7 used for miscellaneous expenses related to the cleanup
8 activities.
9 Sec. 36005. The department shall prepare and submit an
10 annual report to the standing committees of the legislature that
11 primarily consider issues pertaining to the protection of natural
12 resources and the environment and to the senate and house
13 appropriations subcommittees on natural resources. This annual
14 report shall include the number of acres from which wastes were
15 removed, the number of tons of wastes removed, and the amount of
16 wastes that were recycled.