HB 4193 would amend the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act section governing annual groundwater discharge permit fees. The bill keeps the existing permit-fee structure in place through October 1, 2027, but specifies fee amounts for different facility categories: $7,500 for group 1 facilities, $1,800 for group 2 facilities and certain small campgrounds or small municipalities, $300 for group 2a facilities, and $240 for group 3 facilities. It also clarifies that campgrounds licensed under the Public Health Code with 1,000 or fewer sites that would otherwise be group 1 facilities are charged at the lower $1,800 rate, and that municipalities with 1,000 or fewer residents are treated similarly.
The bill adds a permit-processing deadline requiring the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to approve or deny a complete groundwater discharge permit application within 180 days unless the applicant agrees to an extension. If the department misses that deadline, an applicant that pays the annual fee would receive a 15% discount on the fee. The bill also allows municipalities to pass the fee through to users of the municipal facility, and it excludes very small municipalities from the definitions of the listed facility groups for fee purposes.
Impact
HB 4193 would amend MCL 324.3122 in the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act by adjusting groundwater discharge permit fee provisions, adding a statutory decision deadline for permit applications, and creating a fee discount remedy for delayed agency action. It would directly affect facilities and municipalities that discharge wastewater to ground or groundwater under section 3112, as well as small campgrounds and municipalities with 1,000 or fewer residents, which would receive reduced treatment under the fee schedule.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be a technical regulatory measure rather than a highly controversial policy change. Its structure suggests support for clearer permitting timelines and lower fees for smaller entities, especially small municipalities and campgrounds, while still preserving the state’s groundwater discharge permitting program. No formal vote history or transcript evidence is available here to show broader legislative support or opposition.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the fee levels, the new 180-day decision deadline, and the 15% fee discount if the department misses that deadline. Environmental regulators may be concerned that the deadline and discount could pressure permitting operations, while regulated facilities and municipalities may support them as accountability measures. Another likely issue is the preferential treatment for small campgrounds and municipalities, which could be viewed as appropriate relief for small operators or as an uneven fee structure depending on the stakeholder’s perspective.
Environmental protection: permits; permits for the discharge of wash water; modify. Amends 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.101 - 324.90106) by adding sec. 3116a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5698'26