10-14-2006, 02:47 AM
DEQ may have to meet with more permit applicants
[url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Josh%20Jackett&-nothing"]Josh Jackett[/url]![[Image: z.gif]](http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/images/z.gif)
October 11, 2006 - A Michigan House bill intended to supplement another bill in a package that was originally designed to speed up the permitting process for improvements on a wetland parcel, was referred to a committee following its introduction on Wednesday, Sept. 20.
House Bill (HB) 6576, introduced by Rep. John Pastor (R-Livonia), would extend the provisions proposed by HB 6162 to additional activities requiring a permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), including dredging, marina permits, filling in wetlands contiguous to a stream or lake, building a seawall, and more.
The new bill is before the House Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment Committee.
HB 6162 was among three surviving bills that included HB 6164 and HB 6165, which were passed by state senators 37-0, and enrolled after 107-0 vote in the House. The trio of bills was originally passed by House members 104-0.
The legislative package, which originally included three other House bills, is designed to speed up the process of approving or denying the application of a property owner seeking a permit to undertake some improvement on a parcel that contains wetlands, as well as hold both the permit applicant and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) accountable in their respective sides of the process.
As passed by the senate and the house, HB 6162 would amend Part 303 (Wetlands Protection) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the DEQ, upon request and receipt of the appropriate fee, to meet with a landowner or his or her representative to review a proposed project or a proposed permit application in its entirety.
According to state legislative analysis of the bill, the fee for meeting would be $150 at a district office; $250 at a project site for the first acre or portion of an acre of project area, plus $50 for each additional acre or part of an acre up to $1,000.
If the location of the project were a single-family residential lot less than one acre in size, there would be no fee for a meeting at the district office, and the fee for meeting at the project site would be $100.
HB 6164 would allow a local unit of government, after reviewing a permit application involving a wetland within that local unit, to decline to make any recommendation to the DEQ regarding the application. HB 6165 would allow the DEQ, upon a written request and receipt of a $250 fee, to approve minor revisions to a permit issued under Part 303. All lakes area representatives and senators voted in favor of the bills.
Under the new HB 6576, representatives of the DEQ, upon request and receipt of the appropriate fee, would have to meet with a landowner or his or her representative to review a proposed project or a proposed permit involving dredging, marinas, filling in wetlands contiguous to a stream or lake, building a seawall, and more.
Lakes area state Reps. John Stakoe (R-Highland, White Lake) and Shelley Taub (R-Orchard Lake) are co-sponsors of the new bill.
[signature]
[url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Josh%20Jackett&-nothing"]Josh Jackett[/url]
October 11, 2006 - A Michigan House bill intended to supplement another bill in a package that was originally designed to speed up the permitting process for improvements on a wetland parcel, was referred to a committee following its introduction on Wednesday, Sept. 20.House Bill (HB) 6576, introduced by Rep. John Pastor (R-Livonia), would extend the provisions proposed by HB 6162 to additional activities requiring a permit from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), including dredging, marina permits, filling in wetlands contiguous to a stream or lake, building a seawall, and more.
The new bill is before the House Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use, and Environment Committee.
HB 6162 was among three surviving bills that included HB 6164 and HB 6165, which were passed by state senators 37-0, and enrolled after 107-0 vote in the House. The trio of bills was originally passed by House members 104-0.
The legislative package, which originally included three other House bills, is designed to speed up the process of approving or denying the application of a property owner seeking a permit to undertake some improvement on a parcel that contains wetlands, as well as hold both the permit applicant and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) accountable in their respective sides of the process.
As passed by the senate and the house, HB 6162 would amend Part 303 (Wetlands Protection) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the DEQ, upon request and receipt of the appropriate fee, to meet with a landowner or his or her representative to review a proposed project or a proposed permit application in its entirety.
According to state legislative analysis of the bill, the fee for meeting would be $150 at a district office; $250 at a project site for the first acre or portion of an acre of project area, plus $50 for each additional acre or part of an acre up to $1,000.
If the location of the project were a single-family residential lot less than one acre in size, there would be no fee for a meeting at the district office, and the fee for meeting at the project site would be $100.
HB 6164 would allow a local unit of government, after reviewing a permit application involving a wetland within that local unit, to decline to make any recommendation to the DEQ regarding the application. HB 6165 would allow the DEQ, upon a written request and receipt of a $250 fee, to approve minor revisions to a permit issued under Part 303. All lakes area representatives and senators voted in favor of the bills.
Under the new HB 6576, representatives of the DEQ, upon request and receipt of the appropriate fee, would have to meet with a landowner or his or her representative to review a proposed project or a proposed permit involving dredging, marinas, filling in wetlands contiguous to a stream or lake, building a seawall, and more.
Lakes area state Reps. John Stakoe (R-Highland, White Lake) and Shelley Taub (R-Orchard Lake) are co-sponsors of the new bill.
[signature]