SENATE BILL No. 1428

 

 

September 28, 2004, Introduced by Senators KUIPERS, VAN WOERKOM and PATTERSON and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending section 5503 (MCL 324.5503) and by adding section               

                                                                                

    5515a.                                                                      

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 5503.  The department may do 1 or more of the                          

                                                                                

2   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

3       (a) Promulgate rules to establish standards for ambient air                 

                                                                                

4   quality and for emissions.                                                  

                                                                                

5       (b) Issue permits for the construction and operation of                     

                                                                                

6   sources, processes, and process equipment, subject to enforceable           

                                                                                

7   emission limitations and standards and other conditions                     

                                                                                

8   reasonably necessary to assure compliance with all applicable               

                                                                                

9   requirements of this part, rules promulgated under this part, and           

                                                                                

10  the clean air act.                                                          

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (c) In accordance with this part and rules promulgated under                

                                                                                

2   this part, deny, terminate, modify, or revoke and reissue permits           

                                                                                

3   for cause.  If an application for a permit is denied or is                  

                                                                                

4   determined to be incomplete by the department, the department               

                                                                                

5   shall state in writing with particularity the reason for denial             

                                                                                

6   or the determination of incompleteness, and, if applicable, the             

                                                                                

7   provision of this part or a rule promulgated under this part that           

                                                                                

8   controls the decision.                                                      

                                                                                

9       (d) Compel the attendance of witnesses at proceedings of the                

                                                                                

10  department upon reasonable notice.                                          

                                                                                

11      (e)  Make  Subject to section 5515a, make findings of fact                  

                                                                                

12  and determinations.                                                         

                                                                                

13      (f)  Make  Subject to section 5515a, make, modify, or cancel                

                                                                                

14  orders that require, in accordance with this part, the control of           

                                                                                

15  air pollution.                                                              

                                                                                

16      (g) Enforce permits, air quality fee requirements, and the                  

                                                                                

17  requirements to obtain a permit.                                            

                                                                                

18      (h)  Institute  Subject to section 5515a, institute in a                    

                                                                                

19  court of competent jurisdiction proceedings to compel compliance            

                                                                                

20  with this part, rules promulgated under this part, or any                   

                                                                                

21  determination or order issued under this part.                              

                                                                                

22      (i) Enter and inspect any property as authorized under                      

                                                                                

23  section 5526.                                                               

                                                                                

24      (j) Receive and initiate complaints of air pollution in                     

                                                                                

25  alleged violation of this part, rules promulgated under this                

                                                                                

26  part, or any determination, permit, or order issued under this              

                                                                                

27  part and, subject to section 5515a, take action with respect to             


                                                                                

1   the complaint as provided in this part.                                     

                                                                                

2       (k) Require reports on sources and the quality and nature of                

                                                                                

3   emissions, including, but not limited to, information necessary             

                                                                                

4   to maintain an emissions inventory.                                         

                                                                                

5                                                                                (l) Prepare and develop a general comprehensive plan for the                        

                                                                                

6   control or abatement of existing air pollution and for the                  

                                                                                

7   control or prevention of any new air pollution.                             

                                                                                

8       (m) Encourage voluntary cooperation by all persons in                       

                                                                                

9   controlling air pollution and air contamination.                            

                                                                                

10      (n) Encourage the formulation and execution of plans by                     

                                                                                

11  cooperative groups or associations of municipalities, counties or           

                                                                                

12  districts, or other governmental units, industries, and others              

                                                                                

13  who severally or jointly are or may be the source of air                    

                                                                                

14  pollution, for the control of pollution.                                    

                                                                                

15      (o) Cooperate with the appropriate agencies of the United                   

                                                                                

16  States or other states or any interstate or international                   

                                                                                

17  agencies with respect to the control of air pollution and air               

                                                                                

18  contamination or for the formulation for the submission to the              

                                                                                

19  legislature of interstate air pollution control compacts or                 

                                                                                

20  agreements.                                                                 

                                                                                

21      (p) Conduct or cause to be conducted studies and research                   

                                                                                

22  with respect to air pollution control, abatement, or prevention.            

                                                                                

23      (q) Conduct and supervise programs of air pollution control                 

                                                                                

24  education including the preparation and distribution of                     

                                                                                

25  information relating to air pollution control.                              

                                                                                

26      (r) Determine by means of field studies and sampling the                    

                                                                                

27  degree of air pollution in  the  this state.                                


                                                                                

1       (s) Provide advisory technical consultation services to local               

                                                                                

2   communities.                                                                

                                                                                

3       (t) Serve as the agency of  the  this state for the receipt                 

                                                                                

4   of money from the federal government or other public or private             

                                                                                

5   agencies and the expenditure of that money after it is                      

                                                                                

6   appropriated for the purpose of air pollution control studies or            

                                                                                

7   research or enforcement of this part.                                       

                                                                                

8       (u) Do  such  any other things  as  that the department                     

                                                                                

9   considers necessary, proper, or desirable to enforce this part, a           

                                                                                

10  rule promulgated under this part, or any determination, permit,             

                                                                                

11  or order issued under this part, or the clean air act.                      

                                                                                

12      Sec. 5515a.  (1) The department shall not do either of the                  

                                                                                

13  following unless the department has received complaints as                  

                                                                                

14  described in subsection (2) from 25% or more of the businesses              

                                                                                

15  and households located within a 1/2-mile radius from the emission           

                                                                                

16  source:                                                                     

                                                                                

17      (a) Find that a person has violated this part or a rule                     

                                                                                

18  promulgated, permit or order issued, or determination made under            

                                                                                

19  this part by causing or permitting an emission that results in an           

                                                                                

20  objectionable odor.                                                         

                                                                                

21      (b) Take or commence any action against a person for                        

                                                                                

22  violating this part or a rule promulgated, permit or order                  

                                                                                

23  issued, or determination made under this part by causing or                 

                                                                                

24  permitting an emission that results in an objectionable odor.               

                                                                                

25      (2) To qualify as a complaint of an objectionable odor under                

                                                                                

26  subsection (1), all of the following must apply:                            

                                                                                

27      (a) The complaint is received by the department within 6                    


                                                                                

1   months before the department's finding or action.                           

                                                                                

2       (b) The complaint is contained in a writing made by a                       

                                                                                

3   complaining individual or by the department from information                

                                                                                

4   provided by the complaining individual.                                     

                                                                                

5       (c) The complaint contains all of the following specific                    

                                                                                

6   information:                                                                

                                                                                

7                                                                                (i) The name and address of the complaining individual or, if                       

                                                                                

8   the complaint is made on behalf of a business, the name and                 

                                                                                

9   address of the business.                                                    

                                                                                

10      (ii) The time the odor was detected.                                         

                                                                                

11      (iii) The nature of the odor.                                                

                                                                                

12      (iv) The duration of the odor.                                               

                                                                                

13      (v) How the odor affected the complaining individual's or                   

                                                                                

14  another individual's health, safety, or comfort.                            

                                                                                

15      (3) If the department takes or commences an action against a                

                                                                                

16  person as described in subsection (1), or if the department takes           

                                                                                

17  or commences an action against a person as the result of a                  

                                                                                

18  finding described in subsection (1), and the person prevails in             

                                                                                

19  the action, the department shall pay the person the reasonable              

                                                                                

20  costs incurred in defending against the action.                             

                                                                                

21      (4) On or before December 31, 2006, the department shall                    

                                                                                

22  promulgate rules that establish objective criteria for duration,            

                                                                                

23  intensity, and frequency thresholds for odors to constitute a               

                                                                                

24  violation of this part or a rule promulgated, permit or order               

                                                                                

25  issued, or determination made under this part.                              

                                                                                

26      (5) As used in this section:                                                

                                                                                

27      (a) "Business" means a person or group of related or                        


                                                                                

1   connected persons engaged in commerce that operate from the same,           

                                                                                

2   contiguous, or closely located premises.                                    

                                                                                

3       (b) "Household" means an individual or group of individuals                 

                                                                                

4   who reside in a single detached dwelling unit or a single unit of           

                                                                                

5   a multiple dwelling, including a seasonal dwelling, but not                 

                                                                                

6   including a motel, hotel, or other transient dwelling.