Sec. 3112.
(1) A person shall not discharge any waste or waste effluent into the waters of this state unless the person is in possession of a valid permit from the department.
(2) An application for a permit under subsection (1) shall be submitted to the department. Within 30 days after an application for a new or increased use is received, the department shall determine whether the application is administratively complete. Within 90 days after an application for reissuance of a permit is received, the department shall determine whether the application is administratively complete. If the department determines that an application is not complete, the department shall notify the applicant in writing within the applicable time period. If the department does not make a determination as to whether the application is complete within the applicable time period, the application shall be considered to be complete.
(3) The department shall condition the continued validity of a permit upon the permittee's meeting the effluent requirements that the department considers necessary to prevent unlawful pollution by the dates that the department considers to be reasonable and necessary and to assure compliance with applicable federal law and regulations. If the department finds that the terms of a permit have been, are being, or may be violated, it may modify, suspend, or revoke the permit or grant the permittee a reasonable period of time in which to comply with the permit. The department may reissue a revoked permit upon a showing satisfactory to the department that the permittee has corrected the violation. A person who has had a permit revoked may apply for a new permit.
(4) If the department determines that a person is causing or is about to cause unlawful pollution of the waters of this state, the department may notify the alleged offender of its determination and enter an order requiring the person to abate the pollution or refer the matter to the attorney general for legal action, or both.
(5) A person who is aggrieved by an order of abatement of the department or by the reissuance, modification, suspension, or revocation of an existing permit of the department executed pursuant to this section may file a sworn petition with the department setting forth the grounds and reasons for the complaint and asking for a contested case hearing on the matter pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328. A petition filed more than 60 days after action on the order or permit may be rejected by the department as being untimely.
(6) Beginning January 1, 2007, all oceangoing vessels engaging in port operations in this state shall obtain a permit from the department. The department shall issue a permit for an oceangoing vessel only if the applicant can demonstrate that the oceangoing vessel will not discharge aquatic nuisance species or if the oceangoing vessel discharges ballast water or other waste or waste effluent, that the operator of the vessel will utilize environmentally sound technology and methods, as determined by the department, that can be used to prevent the discharge of aquatic nuisance species. The department shall cooperate to the fullest extent practical with other Great Lakes basin states, the Canadian Great Lakes provinces, the Great Lakes panel on aquatic nuisance species, the Great Lakes fishery commission, the international joint commission, and the Great Lakes commission to ensure development of standards for the control of aquatic nuisance species that are broadly protective of the waters of the state and other natural resources. Permit fees for permits under this subsection shall be assessed as provided in section 3120. The permit fees for an individual permit issued under this subsection shall be the fees specified in section 3120(1)(a) and (5)(a). The permit fees for a general permit issued under this subsection shall be the fees specified in section 3120(1)(c) and (5)(b)(i). Permits under this subsection shall be issued in accordance with the timelines provided in section 3120. The department may promulgate rules to implement this subsection.
History: 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 91, Imd. Eff. Apr. 22, 2004 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 33, Imd. Eff. June 6, 2005
Popular Name: Act 451
Popular Name: NREPA
Last modified: October 10, 2016