HOUSE BILL No. 4763

 

May 10, 2005, Introduced by Rep. Whitmer and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 8302, 8304, 8305, and 8333 (MCL 324.8302,

 

324.8304, 324.8305, and 324.8333), sections 8302, 8305, and 8333 as

 

amended by 2002 PA 418 and section 8304 as amended by 2004 PA 24,

 

and by adding sections 8315a, 8315b, 8316a, and 8321a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 8302. (1) "Active ingredient" means an ingredient that

 

will prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate pests, or that will act

 

as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant or otherwise alter

 

the behavior of plants or products.

 

     (2) "Activity plan" means a plan for the mitigation of

 

groundwater contamination at a specific location, including a time

 


frame for implementation.

 

     (3) "Adulterated",  applies to a pesticide if its  in

 

reference to a pesticide, means that the pesticide's strength or

 

purity is less than, or significantly greater than, the professed

 

standard or quality as expressed on its labeling or under which it

 

is sold;  if  that a substance was substituted wholly or in part

 

for a pesticide; or  if  that a valuable constituent of the

 

pesticide was wholly or in part abstracted.

 

     (4) "Agricultural commodity" means a plant or part of a plant,

 

or an animal or animal product, produced primarily for sale,

 

consumption, propagation, or other use by human beings or animals.

 

     (5) "Animal" means all vertebrate and invertebrate species,

 

including, but not limited to, human beings and other mammals,

 

birds, fish, and shellfish.

 

     (6) "Antimicrobial pesticide" means a pesticide that is

 

intended to disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or

 

development of microbial organisms, as defined under  the federal

 

insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide act, chapter 125, 86 Stat.

 

973, 7 U.S.C. 136 to 136i, 136j to 136r, and 136s to 136y  FIFRA.

 

     (7) "Application season" means a time period of pesticide

 

application, consistent with the category of application, within a

 

calendar year.

 

     (8) "Aquifer" means a geologic formation, a group of

 

formations, or a part of a formation capable of yielding a

 

significant amount of groundwater to wells or springs.

 

     (9) "Aquifer sensitivity" means a hydrogeologic function

 

representing the inherent abilities of materials surrounding the

 


aquifer to attenuate the movement of pesticides into that aquifer.

 

     (10) "Avicide" means a pesticide intended for preventing,

 

destroying, repelling, or mitigating pest birds.

 

     (11) "Building manager" means the person who is designated as

 

being responsible for the building's pest management program and to

 

whom shall be made any reporting and notification  shall be made  

 

pursuant to this part or rules promulgated under this part.

 

     (12) "Certified applicator" means an individual who is

 

authorized under this part to use and supervise the use of a

 

restricted use pesticide.

 

     (13) "Commercial applicator" means a person who is required to

 

be a registered or certified applicator under this part, or who

 

holds himself or herself out to the public as being in the business

 

of applying pesticides. A commercial applicator does not include a

 

person using a pesticide for a private agricultural purpose.

 

     (14) "Commercial building" means any portion of a building

 

that is not a private residence where a business is located and

 

that is frequented by the public.

 

     (15) "Commercial lawn application" means lawn application on

 

property that is not owned by or leased to the individual making

 

the lawn application.

 

     (16)  (15)  "Confirmed contaminant" means a contaminant that

 

has been detected in at least 2 groundwater samples collected from

 

the same groundwater sampling point at an interval of greater than

 

14 days.

 

     (17)  (16)  "Contaminant" means any pesticide originated

 

chemical, radionuclide, ion, synthetic organic compound,

 


microorganism, or waste that does not occur naturally in

 

groundwater or that naturally occurs at a lower concentration than

 

detected.

 

     (18)  (17)  "Contamination" means the direct or indirect

 

introduction into groundwater of any contaminant caused in whole or

 

in part by human activity.

 

     Sec. 8304. (1) "Health care facility" means a facility which

 

is not a private home and at which people may stay 1 or more nights

 

and receive medical care, such as a hospital or nursing home.

 

     (2)  (1)  "Inert ingredient" means an ingredient that is not

 

active.

 

     (3)  (2)  "Ingredient statement" means  : (a) A  a statement

 

of the name and percentage of each active ingredient  together with  

 

in a pesticide, the total percentage of the inert ingredients in

 

the pesticide,  . (b) When  and, if the pesticide contains arsenic

 

in any form, the  ingredient statement shall include  percentages

 

of total and water soluble arsenic, each calculated as elemental

 

arsenic.

 

     (4)  (3)  "Insect" means any of the numerous small

 

invertebrate animals generally having the body more or less

 

obviously segmented, for the most part belonging to the class

 

insecta, comprising 6-legged, usually winged forms, as for example

 

beetles, bugs, bees, and flies, and to other allied classes or

 

arthropods whose members are wingless and usually have more than 6

 

legs, as for example spiders, mites, ticks, centipedes, and wood

 

lice.

 

     (5)  (4)  "Insecticide" means a pesticide intended for

 


preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating an insect.

 

     (6) "Institution of higher education" means a public or

 

private institution in this state which offers a degree or course

 

of study beyond the twelfth grade.

 

     (7)  (5)  "Integrated pest management" means a pest management

 

system that uses all suitable techniques in a total management

 

system to prevent pests from reaching unacceptable levels or to

 

reduce existing pest populations to acceptable levels.

 

     (8)  (6)  "Integrated pest management program" means a program

 

for integrated pest management that includes at least all of the

 

following elements:

 

     (a) The following integrated pest management practices and

 

principles:

 

     (i) Site evaluation, including site description, inspection,

 

and monitoring and the concept of threshold levels.

 

     (ii) Consideration of the relationship between pest biology and

 

pest management methods.

 

     (iii) Consideration of all available pest management methods,

 

including population reduction techniques, such as mechanical,

 

biological, and chemical techniques and pest prevention techniques,

 

such as habitat modification.

 

     (iv) Pest control method selection, including consideration of

 

the impact on human health and the environment.

 

     (v) Continual evaluation of the integrated pest management

 

program to determine the program's effectiveness and the need for

 

program modification.

 

     (b) Recordkeeping which shall be maintained by the applicator

 


and which shall include all of the following:

 

     (i) The site address.

 

     (ii) The date of service.

 

     (iii) The target pest or pests.

 

     (iv) The inspection report, including the number of pests found

 

or reported, and the conditions conducive to pest infestation.

 

     (v) The pest management recommendations made by the

 

applicator, such as structural or habitat modification.

 

     (vi) The structural or habitat modification or other measures

 

that were initiated as a part of the pest management program.

 

     (vii) The name of each pesticide used.

 

     (viii) Quantity of each pesticide used.

 

     (ix) The location of the area or room or rooms where pesticides

 

were applied.

 

     (x) The name of the applicator.

 

     (xi) The name of the pest control firm, if a firm is employed,

 

and the emergency telephone number.

 

     (c) Provision of the following information to the building

 

manager:

 

     (i) The integrated pest management program and initial service

 

inspection record, which shall be provided at the time of, or made

 

available electronically within 48 hours after, the initial

 

service.

 

     (ii) A record that includes the information specified in

 

subdivision (b), which shall be provided upon or made available

 

electronically within 48 hours after the completion of each

 

inspection, application, or service call.

 


     (d) The acceptance of responsibility by the building manager

 

to post signs provided by the pesticide applicator in compliance

 

with rules promulgated under section 8325.

 

     (9)  (7)  "Label" means the written, printed, or graphic

 

matter on or attached to the pesticide or device or any of its

 

containers or wrappers.

 

     (10)  (8)  "Labeling" means the label and all other written,

 

printed, or graphic matter accompanying the pesticide or device, or

 

to which reference is made on the label or in literature

 

accompanying the pesticide or device, and all applicable

 

modifications or supplements to official publications of the EPA,

 

the United States departments of agriculture and interior, the

 

United States departments of education and health and human

 

services, state experiment stations, state agricultural colleges,

 

and other similar federal or state institutions or agencies

 

authorized by law to conduct research in the field of pesticides.

 

     (11) "Lawn application" means the application of general use

 

pesticides to ground, trees, or shrubs but does not include any of

 

the following:

 

     (a) The application of pesticides for the purpose of producing

 

an agricultural commodity.

 

     (b) The application of pesticides around or near the

 

foundation of a building for the purpose of indoor pest control.

 

     (c) The application of pesticides by or on behalf of agencies,

 

except that agencies shall be subject to visual notification

 

requirements applicable to commercial lawn applications under

 

section 8315a(7) if the application is within 100 feet of a

 


dwelling, public building, or public park.

 

     (d) The application of pesticides on golf courses or turf

 

farms.

 

     (12)  (9)  "Maximum contaminant level" means that term as it

 

is defined in title XIV of the public health service act, 42 USC

 

300f to 300j-25, and regulations promulgated under that act.

 

     (13)  (10)  "Method detection limit" means the minimum

 

concentration of a substance that can be measured and reported with

 

99% confidence that the analyte concentration is greater than 0 and

 

is determined from analysis of a sample in a given matrix that

 

contains the analyte.

 

     (14)  (11)  "Minor use" means the use of a pesticide on a

 

crop, animal, or site where any of the following  exist  apply:

 

     (a) The total United States acreage for the crop or site is

 

less than 300,000 acres.

 

     (b) The acreage expected to be treated nationally as a result

 

of that use is less than 300,000 acres annually.

 

     (c) The use does not provide sufficient economic incentive to

 

support the initial registration or continuing registration of the

 

use.

 

     (15)  (12)  "Misbranded",  applies to any  in reference to a

 

pesticide or device, means that the pesticide or device  if it  is

 

an imitation of or is offered for sale under the name of another

 

pesticide  ,  or  if  that its labeling does not comply with

 

labeling requirements of this part, the rules promulgated under

 

this part, FIFRA, or regulations promulgated under FIFRA.

 

     (16)  (13)  "Molluscicide" means a pesticide intended for

 


preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating a mollusk.

 

     (17) "Multiple family dwelling" means a dwelling which is or

 

is to be occupied as the residence or home for the members of 3 or

 

more households living independently of each other.

 

     Sec. 8305. (1) "Nematode" means invertebrate animals of the

 

phylum nemathelminthes and class nematoda, which are unsegmented

 

roundworms with elongated, fusiform, or sac-like bodies covered

 

with cuticle that inhabit soil, water, plants, or plant parts. A

 

nematode may also be called a nema or eelworm.

 

     (2) "Noncommercial lawn application" means lawn application on

 

property owned by or leased to the individual making the lawn

 

application.

 

     (3) "1- or 2-family dwelling" is any structure or portion

 

thereof which is or is to be occupied in whole or in part as the

 

residence or home for 1 household or for 2 households living

 

independently of each other.

 

     (4)  (2)  "Person" means an individual, partnership,

 

corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal

 

entity.

 

     (5)  (3)  "Pest" means an insect, rodent, nematode, fungus,

 

weed, and other forms of terrestrial or aquatic plant or animal

 

life or virus, bacteria, or other microorganism, or any other

 

organism that the director declares to be a pest under section

 

8322, except viruses, fungi, bacteria, nematodes, or other

 

microorganisms in or on living animals.

 

     (6)  (4)  "Pesticide" means a substance or mixture of

 

substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or

 


mitigating pests or intended for use as a plant regulator,

 

defoliant, or desiccant. Pesticide does not include liquid chemical

 

sterilant products, including any sterilant or subordinate

 

disinfectant claims on such products, for use on a critical or

 

semi-critical device, as defined in section 201 of the federal

 

food, drug, and cosmetic act, chapter 675,  52 Stat. 1040,  21  

 

U.S.C.  USC 321. As used in this subsection:

 

     (a) "Critical device" includes any device that is introduced

 

directly into the human body, either into or in contact with the

 

bloodstream or normally sterile areas of the body.

 

     (b) "Semi-critical device" includes any device that contacts

 

intact mucous membranes but that does not ordinarily penetrate the

 

blood barrier or otherwise enter normally sterile areas of the

 

body.

 

     (7)  (5)  "Pesticide registration renewal" means the

 

registration of any pesticide that was previously registered by the

 

department.

 

     (8)  (6)  "Place of business" means a location that is staffed

 

by at least 1 person who independently, without supervision, sells

 

or uses pesticides within this state or where a person exercises

 

the right to control others in the sale or use of pesticides within

 

this state.

 

     (9)  (7)  "Plant regulator" means a substance or mixture of

 

substances intended through physiological action for accelerating

 

or retarding the rate of growth or rate of maturation or for

 

otherwise altering the behavior of plants or the produce of plants.

 

Plant regulator does not include substances to the extent that they

 


are intended as plant nutrients, trace elements, nutritional

 

chemicals, plant inoculants, and soil amendments.

 

     (10)  (8)  "Private agricultural applicator" means a certified

 

applicator who uses or supervises the use of a restricted use

 

pesticide for a private agricultural purpose.

 

     (11)  (9)  "Private agricultural purpose" means the

 

application of a pesticide for the production of an agricultural

 

commodity on either of the following:

 

     (a) Property owned or rented by the person applying the

 

pesticide or by his or her employer.

 

     (b) Property of another person if applied without

 

compensation, other than trading of personal services between

 

producers of agricultural commodities.

 

     (12)  (10)  "Protect health and environment" means  protection  

 

to protect against any unreasonable adverse effects on the

 

environment.

 

     (13)  (11)  "Public building" means a building that is owned

 

or operated by a federal, state, or local government, including

 

public universities.

 

     Sec. 8315a. (1) A retail establishment that sells general use

 

pesticides for lawn application shall display a sign meeting

 

standards established by the director under section 8315b(1). The

 

sign shall be displayed in a conspicuous place as close as possible

 

to the place where the pesticides are displayed.

 

     (2) At least 48 hours before any commercial lawn application

 

of a pesticide, the person making the application shall supply

 

written notice to occupants of all 1- or 2-family dwellings, and to

 


owners, owners' agents, or other persons in a position of authority

 

for all other types of premises, that are on abutting property with

 

a boundary that is within 150 feet of the site of the commercial

 

lawn application. The director shall specify the manner in which a

 

person making a commercial lawn application shall supply the

 

written notice including, but not limited to, mailing the notice,

 

or leaving the notice with a responsible adult or in a conspicuous

 

location on the abutting property. The director shall specify a

 

manner in which a person making a commercial lawn application may

 

provide an option to occupants of 1- or 2-family dwellings to

 

decline further notices.

 

     (3) The owner of a multiple family dwelling or the owner's

 

agent shall supply the written notice under subsection (2) to the

 

occupants of the multiple family dwelling in a manner specified by

 

the director. For all other types of premises, the owner, owner's

 

agent, or other person in a position of authority shall post the

 

written notice under subsection (2) in a manner specified by the

 

director.

 

     (4) The director shall specify the content and form of the

 

written notice under subsection (2). The notice shall include at

 

least all of the following:

 

     (a) The address where the pesticide application is to be made.

 

     (b) The name and telephone number of the person making the

 

pesticide application.

 

     (c) The specific date of each pesticide application and 2

 

alternative dates to the proposed date of application if weather

 

conditions prevent the pesticide application on the proposed date.

 


     (d) The product name or names and the EPA registration number

 

or numbers of the pesticide or pesticides to be applied.

 

     (e) A prominent statement that reads substantially as follows:

 

"This notice is to inform you of a pending pesticide application to

 

neighboring property. You may wish to take precautions to minimize

 

pesticide exposure to yourself, family members, pets, or family

 

possessions. Further information about the product or products

 

being applied, including any warnings that appear on the labels of

 

such pesticide or pesticides that are pertinent to the protection

 

of humans, animals, or the environment, can be obtained by calling

 

the National Pesticide Information Center at 1-800-858-7378.".

 

     (5) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to any of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The application of either of the following:

 

     (i) Antimicrobial pesticides as defined in section 2(mm) of the

 

federal insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide act, 7 USC 136.

 

     (ii) Antimicrobial products described in section 19(h)(2) of

 

the federal insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide act, 7 USC

 

136q, and exempt from section 19(a), (e), and (f) of the federal

 

insecticide, fungicide, and rodenticide act, 7 USC 136q.

 

     (b) The use of an aerosol product with a directed spray, in

 

containers of 18 fluid ounces or less, to protect individuals from

 

an imminent threat from stinging and biting insects, including

 

venomous spiders, bees, wasps, and hornets. This subdivision does

 

not exempt from notification the use of any fogger product or

 

aerosol product that discharges to a wide area.

 

     (c) The use of nonvolatile insecticides or rodenticides in a

 


tamper-resistant bait station or in areas inaccessible to children.

 

     (d) The application of a pesticide classified by the EPA as an

 

exempt material under 40 CFR 152.25.

 

     (e) The application of boric acid and disodium octaborate

 

tetrahydrate.

 

     (f) The application of horticultural soap and oils that do not

 

contain synthetic pesticides or synergists.

 

     (g) The application of a pesticide by direct injection into a

 

plant or the ground.

 

     (h) The application of a pesticide to the ground or turf of a

 

cemetery.

 

     (i) An emergency pesticide application when necessary to

 

protect against an imminent threat to human health. However, before

 

making an emergency pesticide application, a person shall make a

 

good faith effort to supply the written notice under subsection

 

(2). Upon making an emergency pesticide application, a person shall

 

notify the director, using a form developed by the director for

 

such purposes. The notice to the director shall include at least

 

all of the following:

 

     (i) The address where the application was made.

 

     (ii) The name and telephone number of the person making the

 

pesticide application.

 

     (iii) The date of the pesticide application.

 

     (iv) The product name and EPA registration number of the

 

pesticide or pesticides applied.

 

     (v) The reason for the pesticide application.

 

     (6) The director shall review an emergency notice submitted

 


under subsection (5)(i) to ensure that the circumstance did warrant

 

the emergency pesticide application. The emergency notice shall be

 

kept on file at the department for 3 years from the date of the

 

pesticide application and shall be made available to any person

 

upon request.

 

     (7) A person performing a noncommercial lawn application

 

treating an area more than 100 square feet or performing a

 

commercial lawn application shall place markers within or along the

 

perimeter of the area where pesticides will be applied. Markers

 

shall be placed so as to be clearly visible to persons immediately

 

outside the perimeter. The markers shall be posted at least 12

 

inches above the ground and shall be at least 4 inches by 5 inches

 

in size. The markers shall be placed before the lawn application on

 

the day of the lawn application and shall instruct persons not to

 

enter the area where pesticides were applied and not to remove the

 

markers, for a period of at least 24 hours. The instruction shall

 

be printed boldly in letters at least 3/8 of an inch in height.

 

     Sec. 8315b. (1) The director shall establish uniform standards

 

for a consumer pesticide use information sign provided for under

 

section 8315a(1). This sign shall contain all of the following

 

information:

 

     (a) A warning notice directing consumers to follow directions

 

on labels.

 

     (b) A provision to inform consumers of the posting

 

requirements set forth in section 8315a(7).

 

     (c) A recommendation that the consumer notify neighbors before

 

the application of pesticides so that the neighbors may take

 


precautions to avoid pesticide exposure.

 

     (2) The director shall prepare and publish, in consultation

 

with the director of the department of community health,

 

educational materials explaining all of the following:

 

     (a) The requirements of section 8315a.

 

     (b) The requirements of section 8316a with respect to day care

 

centers.

 

     (c) The human and environmental health effects of lawn care

 

pesticides.

 

     (3) The director may specify procedures, not inconsistent with

 

any other provisions of law, for the department's investigation and

 

processing of alleged violations of section 8315a(7). The uniform

 

procedures may require complaints to be in the form of a sworn

 

statement containing the facts upon which an alleged violation is

 

based and may provide that the department is not required to

 

perform any testing or sampling in relation to the investigation of

 

any such alleged violations.

 

     Sec. 8316a. Beginning 1 year after the effective date of this

 

section, a person shall not apply a pesticide in a health facility

 

building or public building unless the health facility or the owner

 

or operator of the public building has an integrated pest

 

management program in place for the building.

 

     Sec. 8321a. The department shall maintain a database of human

 

pesticide poisonings that occur in this state after the effective

 

date of the amendatory act that added this section. The data shall

 

include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:

 

     (a) How the poisoning occurred.

 


     (b) The pesticide that caused the poisoning.

 

     (c) The number and age of the people affected.

 

     (d) The adverse health effects suffered by the people

 

affected.

 

     (e) Any enforcement action taken.

 

     Sec. 8333. (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this

 

section, a person who violates section 8315a(1) for the first time

 

shall be issued a warning and shall be provided 7 days to correct

 

the violation. A person who violates section 8315a(1) a second or

 

subsequent time is responsible for a state civil infraction and may

 

be fined not more than $250.00 for each such violation.

 

     (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a

 

person who violates section 8315a(3) for the first time or section

 

8315a(7) for the first time shall be issued a written warning and

 

educational materials prepared under section 8315b(2). A person who

 

violates section 8315a(3) a second time or who violates section

 

8315a(7) a second time is responsible for a state civil infraction

 

and may be fined not more than $100.00. A person who violates

 

section 8315a(3) a third or subsequent time or who violates section

 

8315a(7) a third or subsequent time is responsible for a state

 

civil infraction and may be fined not more than $250.00.

 

     (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a

 

person who violates section 8316a(4) shall, for the first

 

violation, be issued a written warning and educational materials

 

prepared under section 8315b(2). The director, upon finding after

 

notice and an opportunity for a hearing that a person has committed

 

a second or subsequent violation of section 8316a(4), may impose an

 


administrative fine of not more than $100.00 for a second violation

 

or not more than $250.00 for a subsequent violation.

 

     (4)  (1)  A person who violates this part is subject to the

 

penalties and remedies provided in this part regardless of whether

 

he or she acted alone or through an employee or agent.

 

     (5)  (2)  The director, upon finding after notice and an

 

opportunity for a hearing that a person has violated or attempted

 

to violate any provision of this part except section 8311(4), 8312,

 

8315a(1), 8315a(3), 8315a(7), or 8316, may impose an administrative

 

fine of not more than $1,000.00 for each violation of this part.

 

     (6)  (3)  If the director finds that a violation or attempted

 

violation occurred despite the exercise of due care or did not

 

result in significant harm to human health or the environment, the

 

director may issue a warning instead of imposing an administrative

 

fine.

 

     (7)  (4)  The director shall advise the attorney general of

 

the failure of a person to pay an administrative fine imposed under

 

this section. The attorney general may bring an action in a court

 

of competent jurisdiction for the failure to pay an administrative

 

fine imposed under this section.

 

     (8)  (5)  A person who violates this part or attempts to

 

violate this part is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by

 

imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than

 

$5,000.00, or both, for each offense.

 

     (9)  (6)  The director may bring an action to enjoin a

 

violation of this part or an attempted violation of this part in a

 

court of competent jurisdiction of the county in which the

 


violation occurs or is about to occur.

 

     (10)  (7)  The attorney general may file a civil action in

 

which the court may impose on any person who violates this part or

 

attempts to violate this part a civil fine of not more than

 

$5,000.00 for each violation or attempted violation. In addition,

 

the attorney general may bring an action in circuit court to

 

recover the reasonable costs of the investigation from any person

 

who violated this part or attempted to violate this part. Money

 

recovered under this subsection shall be forwarded to the state

 

treasurer for deposit into the pesticide control fund created in

 

section 8318.

 

     (11)  (8) In defense of an action filed under this section, in  

 

In addition to any other lawful defense,  a person may present

 

evidence as  it is an affirmative defense to an action filed under

 

this section that, at the time of  the  a person's alleged

 

violation of this part or attempted violation of this part, he or

 

she was in compliance with label directions and with this part and

 

rules promulgated under this part at the time of the alleged

 

violation.

 

     (12)  (9)  A civil cause of action does not arise for injuries

 

to any person or property if a private agricultural applicator, or

 

a registered applicator who stores, handles, or applies pesticides

 

only for a private agricultural purpose, was not grossly negligent

 

and stored, handled, or applied pesticides in compliance with this

 

part, rules promulgated under this part, and the pesticide

 

labeling.

 

     (13)  (10)  Applicable provisions of the revised judicature

 


act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.101 to  600.9948  600.9947, apply

 

to civil actions filed pursuant to this part.