SENATE BILL No. 902

 

 

November 8, 2007, Introduced by Senators GEORGE, RICHARDVILLE, KAHN, BIRKHOLZ, BROWN, PAPPAGEORGE, GLEASON, JANSEN and HARDIMAN and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 11507a, 11526a, 11549, and 11550 (MCL

 

324.11507a, 324.11526a, 324.11549, and 324.11550), section 11507a

 

as amended by 2004 PA 39, section 11526a as added by 2004 PA 40,

 

section 11549 as amended by 2006 PA 58, and section 11550 as

 

amended by 2003 PA 153.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 11507a. (1) The owner or operator of a landfill or a

 

material recovery facility, transfer station, or other facility

 

that processes waste under section 11526a(2)(b) shall annually

 

submit a report to the state and the county and municipality in

 

which the landfill or other facility is located that contains

 

information on the amount of solid waste received by the landfill


 

during the year itemized, to the extent possible, by county, state,

 

or country of origin. and A report submitted by a landfill under

 

this subsection shall also include the amount of remaining disposal

 

capacity at the landfill. Remaining disposal capacity shall be

 

calculated as the permitted capacity less waste in place for any

 

area that has been constructed and is not yet closed plus the

 

permitted capacity for each area that has a permit for construction

 

under this part but has not yet been constructed. The report shall

 

be submitted on a form provided by the department within 45 days

 

following the end of each state fiscal year.

 

     (2) By January 31 of each year, the department shall submit to

 

the legislature a report summarizing the information obtained under

 

subsection (1).

 

     Sec. 11526a. (1) Beginning October 1, 2004, in order to

 

protect the public health, safety, and welfare and the environment

 

of this state from the improper disposal of waste that is

 

prohibited from disposal in a landfill, and in recognition that the

 

The nature of solid waste collection and transport limits the

 

ability of the state to conduct cost effective inspections to

 

ensure compliance with state law. , the The purpose of this section

 

is to do all of the following:

 

     (a) Protect the public health, safety, and welfare and the

 

environment of this state from the improper disposal of waste that

 

is prohibited from disposal in a landfill.

 

     (b) Facilitate the inspection of solid waste that, unlike

 

solid waste generated in this state or jurisdictions described in

 

subsection (2)(b), cannot be presumed to meet the requirements for


 

disposal in a landfill under section 11514.

 

     (c) Promote recycling.

 

     (2) The owner or operator of a landfill shall not accept for

 

disposal in this state solid waste, including, but not limited to,

 

municipal solid waste incinerator ash, that was generated outside

 

of this state unless 1 or more of the following are met:

 

     (a) The solid waste is composed of a uniform type of item,

 

material, or substance, other than municipal solid waste

 

incinerator ash, that meets the requirements for disposal in a

 

landfill under this part and the rules promulgated under this part

 

section 11514 and the person transporting the solid waste provides

 

the owner or operator of the landfill with a certificate to that

 

effect. The certificate shall be on a form approved by the

 

department and shall be signed by an authorized agent of the

 

generator. The owner or operator of the landfill shall certify on

 

the form its receipt of the solid waste and maintain a copy of the

 

form available for inspection by the department for 6 years.

 

     (b) The solid waste was received through a material recovery

 

facility, a transfer station, or other facility located in this

 

state that has documented that it has removed from the solid waste

 

being delivered to the landfill those items that are prohibited

 

from disposal in a landfill under section 11514 and the person

 

transporting the solid waste provides the owner or operator of the

 

landfill with a certificate to that effect. The certificate shall

 

be on a form approved by the department and shall be signed by an

 

authorized agent of the material recovery facility, transfer

 

station, or other facility. The owner or operator of the landfill


 

shall certify on the form its receipt of the solid waste and

 

maintain a copy of the form available for inspection by the

 

department for 6 years. Preparing a false document under this

 

subdivision knowing that it is false is a violation of this part.

 

     (c) The country, state, province, or local jurisdiction in

 

which the solid waste was generated is approved by the department

 

for inclusion on the list compiled by the department under section

 

11526b.

 

     (3) The department shall inspect each facility described in

 

subsection (2)(b) that receives solid waste generated outside of

 

this state as frequently as practical to ensure compliance with

 

this part and the rules promulgated under this part. The inspection

 

shall include solid waste generated outside of this state and

 

present at the facility. If solid waste does not meet the

 

requirements of this part after being processed at such a facility,

 

the department shall order that the waste be reprocessed or

 

returned to the state or country in which it was generated, at the

 

expense of the person transporting the solid waste.

 

     (4) A processing inspection fee of $5.00 per ton or $1.67 per

 

cubic yard of solid waste generated outside of this state and

 

processed at the facility is imposed on each facility described in

 

subsection (2)(b). Within 30 days after the end of each state

 

fiscal quarter, a facility described in subsection (2)(b) shall pay

 

the department any processing inspection fee owed. The department

 

shall forward processing inspection fees collected under this

 

section to the state treasurer for deposit in the processing

 

inspection account of the solid waste management fund established


 

in section 11550. The processing inspection fee is in addition to

 

any other fee required by this part.

 

     (5) (2) Notwithstanding section 11538 or any other provision

 

of this part, if there is sufficient disposal capacity for a

 

county's disposal needs in or within 150 miles of the county, all

 

of the following apply:

 

     (a) The county is not required to identify a site for a new

 

landfill in its solid waste management plan.

 

     (b) An interim siting mechanism shall not become operative in

 

the county unless the county board of commissioners determines

 

otherwise.

 

     (c) The department is not required to issue a construction

 

permit for a new landfill in the county.

 

     Sec. 11549. (1) A person who violates this part, a rule

 

promulgated under this part, or a condition of a permit, license,

 

or final order issued pursuant to this part is guilty of a

 

misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000.00 for

 

each violation and costs of prosecution and, if in default of

 

payment of fine and costs, imprisonment for not more than 6 months.

 

     (2) A person who knowingly violates section 11526e is guilty

 

of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or

 

a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.

 

     (3) Each day upon which a violation described in this section

 

occurs is a separate offense.

 

     (4) Preparing a false document under this part, knowing that

 

it is false, is a violation of this part.

 

     Sec. 11550. (1) The solid waste management fund is created


 

within the state treasury. The state treasurer may receive money

 

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

 

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

 

credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

 

     (2) Money in the solid waste management fund at the close of

 

the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the

 

general fund.

 

     (3) The state treasurer shall establish, within the solid

 

waste management fund, a solid waste staff account, and a perpetual

 

care account, and a processing inspection account.

 

     (4) The department shall be the administrator of the solid

 

waste management fund for auditing purposes.

 

     (5) (4) Money shall be expended from the solid waste staff

 

account, upon appropriation, only for the following purposes:

 

     (a) Preparing generally applicable guidance regarding the

 

solid waste permit and license program or its implementation or

 

enforcement.

 

     (b) Reviewing and acting on any application for a permit or

 

license, permit or license revision, or permit or license renewal,

 

including the cost of public notice and public hearings.

 

     (c) Performing an advisory analysis under section 11510(1).

 

     (d) General administrative costs of running the permit and

 

license program, including permit and license tracking and data

 

entry.

 

     (e) Inspection of licensed disposal areas and open dumps.

 

     (f) Implementing and enforcing the conditions of any permit or

 

license.


 

     (g) Groundwater monitoring audits at disposal areas which that

 

are or have been licensed under this part.

 

     (h) Reviewing and acting upon corrective action plans for

 

disposal areas which that are or have been licensed under this

 

part.

 

     (i) Review of certifications of closure.

 

     (j) Postclosure maintenance and monitoring inspections and

 

review.

 

     (k) Review of bonds and financial assurance documentation at

 

disposal areas which that are or have been licensed under this

 

part.

 

     (6) (5) Money shall be expended from the perpetual care

 

account, upon appropriation, only for the purpose of conducting the

 

following activities at disposal areas which that are or have been

 

licensed under this part:

 

     (a) Postclosure maintenance and monitoring at a disposal area

 

where if the owner or operator is no longer required to do so.

 

     (b) To conduct closure, or postclosure maintenance and

 

monitoring and corrective action if necessary, at a disposal area

 

where if the owner or operator has failed to do so. Money shall be

 

expended from the account only after funds from any perpetual care

 

fund or other financial assurance mechanisms held by the owner or

 

operator have been expended and the department has used made

 

reasonable efforts to obtain funding from other sources.

 

     (7) Money shall be expended from the processing inspection

 

account, upon appropriation, only for solid waste inspections under

 

section 11526a(3) and enforcement actions resulting from the


 

inspections.

 

     (8) (6) By March 1 annually, the department shall prepare and

 

submit to the governor, the legislature, the chairs of the standing

 

committees of the senate and house of representatives with primary

 

responsibility for issues related to natural resources and the

 

environment, and the chairs of the subcommittees of the senate and

 

house appropriations committees with primary responsibility for

 

appropriations to the department a report that details the

 

activities of the previous fiscal year funded by the staff account

 

or the processing inspection account of the solid waste management

 

fund established in this section. This report

 

     (9) As to activities funded by the staff account of the solid

 

waste management fund, the report under subsection (8) shall

 

include, at a minimum, all each of the following as it relates to

 

the department:

 

     (a) The number of full-time equated positions performing solid

 

waste management permitting, compliance, and enforcement

 

activities.

 

     (b) All of the following information related to the

 

construction permit applications received under section 11509:

 

     (i) The number of applications received by the department,

 

reported as the number of applications determined to be

 

administratively incomplete and the number determined to be

 

administratively complete.

 

     (ii) The number of applications determined to be

 

administratively complete for which a final action was taken by the

 

department. The number of final actions shall be reported as the


 

number of applications approved, the number of applications denied,

 

and the number of applications withdrawn by the applicant.

 

     (iii) The percentage and number of applications determined to be

 

administratively complete for which a final decision was made

 

within 120 days of receipt as required by section 11511 the

 

processing period specified in section 1301.

 

     (c) All of the following information related to the operating

 

license applications received under section 11512:

 

     (i) The number of applications received by the department,

 

reported as the number of applications determined to be

 

administratively incomplete and the number determined to be

 

administratively complete.

 

     (ii) The number of applications determined to be

 

administratively complete for which a final action was taken by the

 

department. The number of final actions shall be reported as the

 

number of applications approved, the number of applications denied,

 

and the number of applications withdrawn by the applicant.

 

     (iii) The percentage and number of applications determined to be

 

administratively complete for which a final decision was made

 

within 90 days of receipt as required by section 11516 the

 

processing period specified in section 1301.

 

     (d) The number of inspections conducted at licensed disposal

 

areas as required by section 11519.

 

     (e) The number of letters of warning sent to licensed disposal

 

areas.

 

     (f) The number of contested case hearings and civil actions

 

initiated and completed, the number of voluntary consent orders and


 

administrative orders entered or issued, and the amount of fines

 

and penalties collected through such actions or orders.

 

     (g) For each enforcement action that includes a penalty, a

 

description of what corrective actions were required by the

 

enforcement action.

 

     (h) The number of solid waste complaints received,

 

investigated, resolved, and not resolved by the department.

 

     (i) The amount of revenue in the staff account of the solid

 

waste management fund at the end of the fiscal year.

 

     (10) As to activities funded by the processing inspection

 

account of the solid waste management fund, the report under

 

subsection (8) shall include, at a minimum, each of the following

 

as it relates to the department:

 

     (a) The number of inspections conducted under section

 

11526a(3).

 

     (b) The total amount of waste inspected under section

 

11526a(3).

 

     (c) The number of inspections that identified items or

 

materials prohibited from disposal in a landfill under section

 

11514, the items or materials identified, the approximate number or

 

amount of those items or materials, the states or provinces where

 

those materials were generated, and the amount of solid waste

 

returned to the state or province in which it was generated.

 

     (d) The number of warning letters sent as a result of

 

inspections under section 11526a(3).

 

     (e) The information required by subsection (9)(f) and (g).