MEC
Capitol Update
September 7, 2004
Legislature
Ready to Return to Work
__________________
Conference
Committees
MDEQ
Budget - Conference Committee on SB
1066 will meet on Wednesday (9/8) at 8:30 AM to take
up the MDEQ budget for FY 2004-05.
MDEQ Budget - fiscal year 2004-05, the House approved a budget
for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
(MDEQ) that reinstated the Hazardous Waste Management Program,
but retained reductions in staffing levels by 8%, and reduces
general fund support for the department by 15%.
The bill
also includes $800,000 to pay for a dioxin bio-availability
study using Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) funding (1998
bond approved by the voters for contamination cleanups).
The authorizing
language for spending CMI (MCLA 324.20102) states:
(e) That
the responsibility for the cost of response activities pertaining
to a release or threat of release and repairing injury, destruction,
or loss to natural resources caused by a release or threat
of release should not be placed upon the public except
when funds cannot be collected from, or a response activity
cannot be undertaken by, a person liable under this part.
(f) That
liability for response activities to address environmental
contamination should be imposed upon those persons who are
responsible for the environmental contamination.
The use of CMI money to pay for a study to benefit the Dow
Chemical Company is an inappropriate use of those funds -
and breaks a promise to voters who supported the CMI bonds.
At the
same time, no new sites of environmental contamination are
being addressed by the state due to budget shortfalls.
MDEQ Budget
Conference Committee Named - Senate - Senators McManus, Goschka,
Barcia -
House - Representatives Pastor, Moolenaar, Brown
MDNR
Budget - Conference Committee on SB
1068 will meet on Wednesday (9/8) at 8:45 AM to take
up the MDEQ budget for FY 2004-05.
MDNR Budget for fiscal year 2004-05 - The House version removes
travel cuts made by the Senate, removed timber cut mandate
language and returned to a version closer to that recommended
by the administration. Senate conferees: Sens.McManus, Johnson,
Barcia - House conferees - Reps. Pastor, Walker and Brown
Senate
In
committee:
Natural
Resources & Environmental Affairs will meet on Tuesday
(9/7) at 3:00 PM for a briefing on Annex 2001 Draft Agreements
given by Ken DeBeaussaert, Director of the Office of the Greal
Lakes, Noah Hall, National Wildlife Federation and Jon Allan,
Consumers Energy and for a briefing on the current status
of the NSWMA v. Granholm (solid waste litigation) given by
Robert Reichel, Assistant Attorney General.
House
On the calendar:
SB
757 - This bill places penalties on landlords that
fail to remediate known lead paint hazards in rental units.
SB
722/723
- Expands the eligible businesses for pollution prevention
loans and increases the size of the available loans.
HB
5441 – a bill to clarify when "feasible
and prudent" alternatives should be considered to a project
that will impact wetlands. An amendment was added in committee
regarding when the MDEQ must issue a permit that may jeopardize
Michigan's delegation of the Clean Water Act - section 404
program.
HB
4106 -- Provide for state real estate transfer tax
on transfer of certain manufactured homes.
HB
4879 -- Provide for exemption from sales tax on used
manufactured homes.
HB
4882 -- Eliminate use tax on manufactured home sales.
HB
4880 -- Create and implement a manufactured housing
specific tax.
HB
5844 -- Include for homestead property tax credit
calculation amounts paid for Michigan manufactured housing
specific tax.
HB
4111 -- Exempt from property taxes manufactured housing
subject to specific tax.
HB
4868 -- Create a mobile homes manufactured home owners
residency act.
HB
4869 -- Establish and clarify owners rights under
the manufactured home owners association act.
HB
5035 -- Revise membership of the mobile home commission.
HB
5034 -- a bill to access mobile homes as real property.
HB
4358 -- To increase the length limit for trucks to
65 feet.
SB
510 -- a bill to establish stormwater fees.
HB
5312
-- allows hunters to donate an additional $1.00 when purchasing
hunting or fishing licensing to support the sportsmen against
hunger program
SB
193 -- Provides for a specialty license plates for
ducks unlimited
In
committee:
Land
Use and Environment will meet on Wednesday (9/8) at 9:30
AM to take up:
HB
5771 – A bill to increase and revise regulation
of land disposal of septage.
HB
5772 – Amend sentencing guidelines for crime
of knowingly making false report in domestic septage licensing
application.
Agriculture
and Resource Management will meet on Wednesday (9/8) at
8:30 AM to take up:
SB
953 - State; funds; loans to certain farmers for qualified
agricultural energy production; provide for.
SB
955 - Property tax; exemptions; methane digester and
methane digester electric generating system; exempt.
HB
6122 – Provide grants to certain sugar beet cooperatives
Energy
and Technology: Alternative Energy will meet at the Ottawa
County Administrative Building, West Olive on Tuesday (9/7)
at 1:30 PM to take testimony from:
Chuck Pistis, Overview
Rod Frazier, Proposed West Michigan Co Gen Project
Charles Gould, Overview Of What Other States Are Doing
Jon Dewitte, Whats Happening with Green Power on the Fed Side
Ken Rizzio, Necessary Economic Development Tools
Bill Bickert, Toward a Michigan Technology Policy that supports
Green Power
Imad Mahawili, On Farm Production of Energy from Animal Waste
