Please note that the following l

Please note that the following legislative actions have been taken.

House Bill 5065 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Gary McDowell on July 25, 2007, to no longer consider bottled water operations as being in the same class of 'consumptive uses' as agricultural products, which would have the effect of subjecting them to much more restrictive permitting requirements, regulations, and restrictions. Also, to redefine in a more restrictive manner the "index flow" on which determinations are made regarding whether commercial or industrial groundwater withdrawals are affecting streams or rivers. This would make it easier to impose more restrictions and regulations based on a claim that withdrawals are affecting water flow levels in streams. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54065

House Bill 5066 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows on July 25, 2007, to give the Department of Environmental Quality the authority to impose water conservation procedures on commercial or industrial facilities that have the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons of groundwater per day. The specific conservation procedures would depend on the type of facility. The bill would also give the DEQ the discretion and authority to order facilities to perform activities to mitigate hydrologic impacts of water withdrawals. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54066

House Bill 5067 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Terry Brown on July 25, 2007, to give the Department of Environmental Quality the duty to determine that a commercial or industrial groundwater withdrawal does not "impair the waters of the state or other natural resources of the state or the public trust in those natural resources," and with the other bills in this package, give the department broad regulatory authority to impose new regulations on commercial and industrial groundwater users, and broad discretion in how and when to exercise that authority over commercial and industrial groundwater users. The bill would also authorize "interested parties" and county prosecutors to sue businesses when they believe a violation has occurred. Civil fines for most violations of water withdrawal regulations written and enforced by the DEQ would increase from $1,000 to $10,000. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54067

House Bill 5068 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Andy Coulouris on July 25, 2007, to lower the groundwater use threshold that would require a new commercial or industrial user to undergo extensive permitting procedures. The threshold would go from 2,000,000 gallons to 1,000,000 gallons per day for waters other than the Great Lakes, and from 5,000,000 gallons to 2,000,000 gallons per day for Great Lakes and tributary waters. Among the extensive permit requirements would be the need to perform rigorous hydro-geological, water source, natural features, and soil studies. The bill would also increase permit application fees, lengthen from 120 days to 180 days the time the Department of Environmental Quality has to act on a permit request (once it determines that the application is "administratively complete"), and require a public comment period. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54068

House Bill 5069 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Rebekah Warren on July 25, 2007, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to create an online "Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool," which would enable commercial and industrial facilities to determine from various factors what level of regulation and prior permit approval they would be subject to for groundwater withdrawals of various sizes. The bill allows a potential facility to request a determination from the DEQ of the specific registrations or permits that would be required, and the level of regulations and restrictions the enterprise would be subject to if the owners chose to proceed. The DEQ could charge up to $500 for this assessment. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54069

House Bill 5070 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Michael Sak on July 25, 2007, to give any "interested persons" the ability to submit a petition to the director of Department of Environmental Quality if they believe that adverse resource impacts are occurring or are likely to occur as a result of a commercial and industrial facility using groundwater, and require the DEQ to investigate the petition. The bill would also give local governments the authority to regulate large quantity commercial and industrial groundwater withdrawals. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54070

House Bill 5071 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Marc Corriveau on July 25, 2007, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to evaluate the impact of a proposed waterworks system for new municipal community water supply systems that withdraw more than 1 million gallons of groundwater per day. Under current law, the DEQ may but is not required to evaluate systems that would withdraw more than 2 million gallons per day. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54071

House Bill 5072 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Mary Valentine on July 25, 2007, to require bottled water producers that use more than 100,000 gallons of groundwater per day to undergo extensive permitting procedures, including the need to perform rigorous hydro-geological studies; assessments of the effects on flows and levels of groundwater, springs, lakes and streams, wetlands, or nearby wells; precipitation studies; pump tests; public hearings, and more. Under current law bottlers that use more than 250,000 gallons are required to demonstrate that this won’t have an adverse effect on water resources, or affect the right of other property owners to enjoy the reasonable use of groundwater. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54072

House Bill 5073 (Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations ):
Introduced by Rep. Kathleen Law on July 25, 2007, to give the Department of Environmental Quality the authority to write and enforce rules that have the force of law so as to regulate and restrict the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses, as proposed by House Bills 5065 to 5073.
Details and Comments: http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=54073