MEC Capitol Update
April 10, 2003

House of Representatives

Coastal Wetlands - The House of Representatives passed HB 4257 today on a vote of 63-43. The bill allows the destruction over of emergent coastal wetland by lake front property owners without a permit. The House rejected compromise legislation that allowed for lake access, the mowing of vegetation, and the leveling of sand in non-vegetated areas. The letter was also circulated from the EPA that stated that passage of the bill could result in the loss of up to $3 million in coastal zone management funds from the federal government.

Opposing the legislation was:

Clean Water Action
Central Lake Superior Watershed Partnership
Detroit Audubon Society
Friends of the Detroit River
Friends of the Looking Glass River
Friends of Stover Creek
Huron Pines RC&D
Izaak Walton League of America, Michigan Division
Lake Michigan Federation
Lone Tree Council
Marquette County Conservation District
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Michigan Environmental Council
Michigan Land Use Institute
Michigan United Conservation Clubs
National Wildlife Federation
Sierra Club
Three Lakes Association
Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
Torch Lake Protection Alliance
Watershed Center-Grand Traverse Bay

The details of the provisions of the bill and voting will be available later this evening or tomorrow at:

http://www.MichiganLegislature.org/mileg.asp?page=Journals

Click on the House Journal for 4/10/03.

Appropriations - Natural Resources and Environmental Quality Subcommittee

At the Subcommittee meeting on Tuesday (4/8) on HB 4393 (MDEQ budget for fiscal year 2003-04), Rep. John Pastor (R-Livonia), chair of the Appropriation Subcommittee said that he wants to remove all proposed fees and cut general fund support for the department’s environmental protection programs by 15 percent and its administration by 30 percent – much deeper cuts than recommended by Governor Jennifer Granholm.

The Governor's various fee proposals were designed to make up for the 26% reduction in general fund support for the department, and include $6.9 million
in new fees for water discharge permits.

House Land Use and The Environment Committee - HB 4284 - Joint Planning Commissions Bill Facing Possible Amendment Battle

A hearing on House Bill 4284, legislation allowing the creation of joint
planning commissions, was postponed this week in light of amendments offered
by Representative Chris Ward that necessitate review by the bills major
supporters, including MEC, PIRGIM, the Michigan Townships Association and
the Michigan Municipal League. The first amendment allows citizens to refer
the question of creating a joint commission to the voters. MEC is likely to
support this proposal. The second, more problematic amendment restricts the
activities of a joint planning commission to planning only rather than
including zoning authority if authorized by the local units of government.
This amendment would create an additional layer of bureaucracy around zoning
and undermine the effectiveness of cross-jurisdictional land use
decision-making by separating land use planning from implementation of the
plan through zoning ordinances. MEC will likely oppose this proposal.

Senate

Drain Code Hearings To Begin In April

Senator Gerald Van Woerkom has reintroduced the version revisions to the
Drain Code that passed the House in 1999 as Senate Bill 217. The omnibus
281-page bill will be subject to public debate beginning with a Senate
hearing on April 24. MEC opposed this version of the bill previously and
ultimately the bill was defeated. The Drain Code is one of Michigan's
primary water management laws, establishing the independent Drain
Commissions across the state and regulating the process by which drains are
established, built and maintained. Most Michigan waterways are currently
designated as drains including major ones like the Huron and Grand Rivers.
MEC will once again be working closely with the Michigan Drain Code
Coalition to fight for strong environmental protections in the law. Contact
Conan Smith at MEC or Sue Julian with the League of Women Voters for more
information.

Executive Branch

"Build Michigan Is Not In My Vocabulary"
With these words, Michigan Department of Transportation Director Gloria Jeff
deferred more than $400 million in new road construction projects including
controversial proposals on I-375 in Detroit and the US-31 corridor in Ottawa
County. MDOT is holding fast to a goal of bringing 90 percent of the
state's roads into "good" condition by 2007. Members of the Michigan
Transportation and Land Use Coalition led by MEC and the Michigan Land Use
Institute applauded MDOT's new "Preserve First" program and encouraged the
Department to raise the bar and redefine the Engler-era standard for "good"
roads.

Both chambers are on spring break next week.