The House of Representatives passed a comprehensive Energy package on Thursday, including a renewable energy standard, energy efficiency programs and a certificate of need/integrated planning process. The package also included bills that subsidized the electricity costs of Hemlock Semiconductor – a supplier for the solar energy market.
The Senate Energy Committee has scheduled two meetings this week to take up the topic.
SENATE
Passed:
HB 5865 – A bill to create and provide for funds for a Michigan promotion program to promote tourism.
HB 5866 – A bill to provide for the sale of residual interest for bonds issued in the Michigan tobacco settlement finance authority act and to have the proceeds deposited in the Michigan Promotional Program.
HB 5867 – A bill to provide for the deposit and disposition of additional tobacco bond proceeds into the Michigan Promotional Program.
HB 5607 – A bill to allow disabled individual using boat with motor in waterway prohibiting motorized watercraft.
SR 156 - A resolution to encourage the Office of Financial and Insurance Regulations to work cooperatively with all stakeholders to facilitate the offering of insurance discounts for alternative energy vehicles in Michigan.
SB 1126 – The bill would amend the Michigan Strategic Fund Act to require the Fund to identify, publish, and market an inventory of prime sites for the location of renewable fuel plants with existing industrial facilities having byproducts that renewable fuel plants could use to produce energy in this State.
SB 1128 – A bill to create publication regarding procedures and requirements for establishment of renewable fuel plants.
SB 1129 – A bill to create specialty plate for alternative fuel and earmark funds into alternative fuels fund.
SB 1130 – A bill to create the alternative fuels fund.
SB 1132 – A bill to extend the sunset on the renewable fuels commission and expand powers and duties of commission.
On the floor:
SB 727, SB 858, 859 and SB 860 – Bills to implement water use regulation required under the proposed Great Lakes Compact.
SB 212 – A bill to have Michigan ratify the proposed Great lakes Compact.
SB 723 – A bill to define the scope of the Water Resources Conservation Committee moving forward.
SCR 27 - A concurrent resolution to urge the Great Lakes states to resist changes to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and to adopt the compact as presented in December 2005.
SR 154 - A resolution to urge the Great Lakes states to resist changes to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and to adopt the compact as presented in December 2005.
SB 1037 - A bill to provide for the sale of certain municipal forest prime lands and allow for the relinquishment of reverter
1078-1083 – Bills to revise procedures to approve annexation petition for cities, villages, and townships. (SB 379-384 as passed the Senate in 2003)
HB 5100 - A bill to include agricultural crops in definition of renewable energy facility for renaissance zones purposes.
HB 4597 - A bill to provide for hunting on Department of Natural Resources controlled land.
SB 427 – A bill to provide a process for utilities to follow before building new facilities or entering into purchase power agreements, and to provide competitive bidding in that process. (Discharged from Committee)
SB 947 - A comprehensive energy bill that would set a renewable energy standard, establish an energy efficiency program and set forth a process for building new energy capacity. (Discharged from Committee)
SB 385 – A bill to require that utilities provide a certain amount of their energy from renewable sources – starting at 7% by 2009, up to 20% by 2020.
SB 1234 – A bill to regulate the speed airboats near residences.
In committees:
Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs and House Great Lakes and the Environment will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday (4/23) at 12:30 p.m. for:
Presentation by the Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council
Senate Members only will then take up:
HB 4981 – A bill to revise the policy for granting easements across state owned land.
HB 5630 - A bill to clarify the procedure for the dissolution of a lake board.
SB 1085 - A bill to eliminate the sunset for the taking of raptors for falconry.
SR 174 - A resolution to express support for the designation of the Beaver Basin Wilderness Area at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Agriculture will meet on Thursday (4/24) at 9:00 a.m.
SB 1122 – A bill to create additional alternative energy renaissance zones.
HB 4905 – A bill to allow dead animal bodies to be utilized in methane digesters.
HB 5585 – A bill to revise the rules for the manufacturing of milk.
Appropriations:
Agriculture – Will meet on Wednesday (4/23) at 3:00 p.m. to take testimony on the Department of Agriculture budget for FY 2008-09 from commodity groups and public testimony.
Transportation – Will meet on Thursday (4/25) in the Conference Room, Rapid Central Station, 250 Grandville Avenue SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 at 10:30 p.m. for the following testimony on the FY 2008-09 Department of Transportation Budget
- Informational Hearing/Public Testimony on Mass Transit, Aeronautics, and Passenger Rail
HOUSE
Passed:
Energy Package:
HB 5525 – A bill to establish an energy efficiency program in Michigan. Utilities would be required to implement programs that would reduce electricity use by 1% annually by 2012, and natural gas use by 0.75% annually by 2012, or contribute to a fund which would be used for the same purpose.
HB 5548/5549 – These bills establish a renewable energy program that requires utilities to provide 10% of their energy from renewable sources by 2015.
HB 5524 – A bill to rewrite the law (PA 141 of 2002) that regulated utilities in Michigan. The bill includes a certificate of need/integrated resource planning process before utilities can build new capacity. It also includes provisions on customer choice, rate allocation between customer classes and rate setting.
HB 5383 – Allows the establishment of member-regulated electric co-ops reducing the oversight by the Public service commissions over rates and terms of service.
HB 5972-5977 – Bills to give Hemlock Semiconductor tax breaks in order to reduce its electricity costs. The special rate could apply to up to 1.4 million megawatts of electricity per year.
On the floor:
Water package:
HB 4343 – A bill which would adopt the proposed Great Lakes Compact in Michigan.
HB 5065 - Regulate water withdrawals and water diversions.
HB 5066 - Modify certain registration and reporting requirements for water withdrawals and require conservation measures.
HB 5067 - Enhance enforcement of water withdrawal regulations.
HB 5068 - Regulate water withdrawal.
HB 5069 - Provide for a water withdrawal assessment tool.
HB 5070 - Modify authority for water users committees and local ordinances.
HB 5071 - Require evaluation of certain proposed waterworks systems.
HB 5072 - Regulate bottled water facilities.
HB 5073 - Provide department of environmental quality with rule-making
HR 294 - A resolution to urge the Great Lakes states to reject changes to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and enact it as presented in December 2005.
HCR 76 - A concurrent resolution to urge the Great Lakes states to reject changes to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and enact it as presented in December 2005.
Other:
HR 309 - A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact strong legislation to end the flow of new aquatic invasive species into the Great Lakes from ballast water.
HR 89 - A resolution to encourage the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Public Service Commission to promote the Safe Passage Initiative.
HB 4703 – A bill to designate the northern spring peeper as the official state amphibian
HB 4820- A bill to exempt from permit requirements under certain circumstances application of oil field brine to county roads.
HB 5677- A bill to include in the definition of agricultural use maple syrup production.
HB 5678- A bill to exempt from personal property tax maple syrup equipment.
HB 5679- A bill to designate maple syrup producers as food processing plants.
HB 5680- A bill to classify maple syrup production areas as agricultural property.
SB 338 – A bill to expand the use of gift cards issued by department of natural resources.
HB 5331 – A bill to eliminate participation licenses for bear and bobcat hunting.
HB 4685 – Requires the MDEQ and MDA to prepare a booklet explaining environmental statute requirements that apply to farming operations.
HB 4222 – A bill that would provide a formula for the distribution of any trash surcharge fees authorized by the legislature.
HB 4484 – A bill to amend the Solid Waste planning process for counties.
In committee:
Agriculture will meet on Wednesday (4/23) at 2:30 pm to take up:
SB 1007 - A bill to revise the grade A milk law.
SB 1008 – A bill to revise the law on manufacturing of milk.
Presentation by the Michigan Agri-Business Association on various aspects of the agricultural industry impacting the rising costs of agricultural commodities
Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources will meet on Tuesday (4/22) at 10:30 am to take up:
HB 5697 - Natural resources; wildlife; taking of raptors for falconry; eliminate sunset.
HB 5983 – A bill to eliminate the sunset for taking of raptors for falconry.
HB 5969 – A bill to clarify and create exception for certain licensure provisions under certain circumstances for the definition of resident for registration requirements for certain weapons.
SB 296 – A bill to revise requirements for organized events regarding the operation of off-road vehicle by child.
Intergovernmental, Urban and Regional Affairs will meet on Wednesday (4/23) at 10:30 am to take up:
SB 115 – A bill to provide for phased transfer of powers and duties to joint planning commission.
SB 658 – A bill to expand the options for local government to make investments of gas and oil trust funds.
