June, 2011

HB 4666: Farmland Preservation Amendment

This bill encourages property owners to pay off existing liens currently on properties that were removed from the Farmland and Open Space Program. Those liens do not currently earn interest and thus there is no incentive to pay them before the property sells. The bill provides a 15% discount for three months and a 10% discount for another six months. The money collected will be used to support local purchase of development rights (PDR) programs.

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SR 57: Support & Increase Oil Importation derived from Canadian Oil Sands

The Canadian Oil Sands encompass a large tract of land in Alberta that is currently being mined for oil-rich sand. Because traditional oil recovery techniques cannot be used to extract the oil, strip mining or open pit techniques must be used, which devastate the environment and contaminate the nearby Athabasaca River. SR 57 supports increased oil importation into the U.S.

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HB 4303: Weaker Protections for Michigan Wetlands

House Bill 4303 limits the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) from imposing compensatory wetland mitigation in certain roadwork projects.  Wetland mitigation is a payment that offsets the environmental impact of projects on wetlands and helps to protect wetlands for future generations.  Currently, the DEQ has the power to charge such environmental impact costs where they are required.  Under HB 4303 if the

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SB 473: Eliminate Landfill Secondary Liner Requirement

Secondary liners and leachate collection systems are necessary in landfills to ensure that waste leachate does not leak out into the surrounding environment. Leachate often contains contaminants and toxins which can diminish biodiversity and reduce species populations in aquatic ecosystems near landfills.

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HB 4736: Hydraulic Fracturing Liability

With hydraulic fracturing, there is great potential for groundwater contamination from toxic chemicals that are used in the process. House Bill 4736 will hold hydro-fracking companies liable for contaminated groundwater that is within the vicinity of the well in which the fracking took place. This bill could encourage safer hydraulic fracturing practices, but might not be effective due to current hydro-fracking chemical disclosure laws.

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HB 4016: Further Evaluation of NREPA

House Bill 4016 would require the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to complete process improvement evaluations of all permit or regulatory programs administered under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA). The process improvement would consist of peer reviews and benchmark analyses conducted by other Great Lakes states.

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HB 4728: Revise Michigan's Right Turn Signal

HB 4728 adds a provision to the Michigan Vehicle Code to change the signal for a making a right turn on a bicycle. Currently, the law for cyclists mandates that a hand motion must be made when making a left or right turn, but the signal for a right turn has generated some confusion among both cyclists and motorists. Changing the signal makes it easier for cyclists to motion the direction that they are going.

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SB 0421: Make Antifreeze Safer

Senate Bill 0421 prohibits the sale of engine coolant, antifreeze, in Michigan that does not contain a bittering agent.  A bittering agent dissuades children and pets from consuming this dangerous, but sweet tasting liquid.  According to the Humane Society such a measure “will reduce the number of childhood poisonings and save

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HB 4709: Litter Prevention Rewards

House Bill 4709 creates a reward program for citizens who report littering.   If a citizen provides information that leads to a civil fine against a litterer the informant will be awarded 50% of the amount of the civil fine collected.  The bill also closes potential loopholes that could arise from such a bill.  For example, an employee who purposely litters, reports his or her company, and then collects the reward. 

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HB 4708: Litter Prevention Reward Funding

Currently a civil fine that is ordered under section 8827 for a violation of state statute is used exclusively to support public libraries and county law libraries.

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