Sec. 32803.
(1) The water resources conservation advisory council is created within the department of natural resources. The council shall consist of all of the following members:
(a) Four individuals appointed by the senate majority leader as follows:
(i) One individual representing business and manufacturing interests.
(ii) One individual representing public utilities.
(iii) One individual representing a statewide angler association.
(iv) One individual representing a statewide agricultural organization.
(b) Four individuals appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives as follows:
(i) One individual representing registered well drilling contractors with hydrology experience.
(ii) One individual representing local units of government.
(iii) One individual representing agricultural interests.
(iv) One individual with knowledge and expertise in limnology.
(c) Five individuals appointed by the governor as follows:
(i) One individual representing municipal water suppliers.
(ii) One individual representing a statewide conservation organization.
(iii) One individual representing a statewide riparian landowners association.
(iv) One individual representing a statewide tourism organization.
(v) One individual representing Indian tribes.
(d) Four individuals appointed by the director as follows:
(i) One individual representing nonagriculture irrigators.
(ii) One individual representing the aggregate industry.
(iii) One individual representing environmental organizations.
(iv) One individual representing the general public.
(e) Four individuals representing the department, the department of agriculture, the department of natural resources, and the attorney general.
(2) The appointments to the council under subsection (1) shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subsection. The person making the appointment under subsection (1) shall give consideration and deference to individuals who served on the former groundwater conservation advisory council.
(3) The council shall appoint a technical advisory committee of individuals with specific technical and legal expertise relevant to the council's responsibilities.
(4) The council shall do all of the following:
(a) Not later than 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subdivision, study and make recommendations to the senate majority leader, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction primarily related to natural resources and the environment, and the department on how the assessment tool could be updated to reconcile differences between baseline capacity and actual withdrawal amounts to assure the accuracy of the assessment tool's determinations.
(b) When the department makes the assessment tool available for testing and evaluation, conduct testing and evaluate the operation and the accuracy of the assessment tool, including implications of section 32706e. Not later than 9 months after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subdivision, submit a report to the senate majority leader, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction primarily related to natural resources and the environment, and the department that contains the results of its testing and evaluation and any recommendations that the council has to improve the operation of the assessment tool.
(c) Study and make recommendations regarding the development and refinement of the assessment tool.
(d) Study and make recommendations on whether and how the definition of adverse resource impact in section 32701 should be modified to more specifically address potential impacts to the Great Lakes, inland lakes, and other aquatic systems due to large quantity withdrawals.
(e) Make recommendations on reconciling conflicts in state laws related to the use of the waters of the state.
(f) Make recommendations on the development and implementation of the state's water conservation and efficiency program under section 4.2 of the compact.
(g) Develop a framework for evaluating preventative measures designed to prevent adverse resource impacts.
(h) In consultation with academic institutions and other nonprofit organizations, make recommendations regarding educational materials related to the use and availability of water resources.
(i) Not earlier than 3 years after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this subdivision, submit a report to the senate majority leader, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction primarily related to natural resources and the environment that makes recommendations regarding how the water withdrawal assessment process under part 327 could be improved in order to more accurately assess adverse resource impacts. The report shall contain specific recommendations on the use of the assessment tool, the site-specific review process, the permitting process, and any other measure that the council determines would improve the water withdrawal assessment process.
(5) The council shall submit the following reports, approved by a majority of the voting members of the council, to the senate majority leader, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction primarily related to natural resources and the environment and to the department:
(a) Not later than February 8, 2009, a progress report on the council's findings and recommendations under subsection (4)(c) to (h) as of that date.
(b) Not later than August 8, 2009, the council's final report on its findings and recommendations under subsection (4)(c) to (h).
(6) As used in this section, "assessment tool" means the water withdrawal assessment tool provided for in part 327.
History: Add. 2003, Act 148, Imd. Eff. Aug. 8, 2003 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 34, Imd. Eff. Feb. 28, 2006 ;-- Am. 2008, Act 189, Imd. Eff. July 9, 2008
Last modified: October 10, 2016