Environment (Water Quality)

HB 4768 requires Michigan's environmental department to establish a program testing public drinking water for microplastics from 2027 to 2030. The program mandates quarterly testing using methods from agencies like the EPA, focusing on water sources such as Great Lakes tributaries, groundwater near landfills, and agricultural areas. By July 2031, the department must submit a report to the legislature detailing microplastic levels, testing methods, and recommendations for future action. This bill creates a baseline study to understand microplastic presence without setting immediate regulatory limits.

SB 504 requires Michigan to test public water supplies for tiny plastic particles (microplastics) starting in 2027, with quarterly sampling through 2030. It focuses testing on water sources near Great Lakes shorelines, agricultural areas, landfills, and groundwater systems, using methods aligned with federal or state standards. By July 2031, the state must report findings - including microplastic levels, sources, and potential health impacts - and recommend next steps for monitoring or regulation. This directly affects all public water systems in Michigan, including those serving communities near environmental justice concerns.

SB 505 requires Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (DEGLE) to create a statewide research and monitoring plan focused on microplastics in the Great Lakes by July 2026. The plan must assess microplastic impacts on drinking water, human/animal health, and the Great Lakes ecosystem, establish baseline data, identify sources, and propose reduction strategies using federal standards (like EPA and NOAA guidelines). It mandates annual updates, public reporting, and requires DEGLE to collaborate with universities and leverage existing federal efforts. The bill directly affects state agencies, researchers, and Great Lakes water quality management, with implementation deadlines set for 2026 and 2028.

SB 392 amends Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require cleanup of contaminated sites to meet residential and safe drinking water standards, unless technically infeasible. It directly affects property owners, developers, and environmental remediation companies responsible for cleaning up hazardous substance releases at contaminated sites. The bill mandates that cleanup efforts must restore affected aquifers to drinking water standards where possible, stop contamination spread, and comply with state/federal environmental laws. Exceptions allowing less stringent cleanup are only permitted if the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy documents technical infeasibility and confirms the alternative approach still protects public health and the environment. This bill updates existing cleanup standards (sections 20118, 20120a, and related sections) to strengthen residential and water quality protections.

This bill amends Michigan's water quality protection fee structure for pesticide and fertilizer businesses. It establishes annual fees for pesticide registrations ($270-$367 per product starting 2026) and specialty fertilizer registrations ($100-$136 per brand/product), with fertilizer manufacturers paying fees based on product weight. Fees will increase annually through 2030 and adjust for inflation starting in 2031 using the Detroit Consumer Price Index. The fee system expires December 31, 2025, but provisions for inflation adjustments begin January 1, 2031.

HB 4314 amends Michigan's environmental law to allow property owners and communities to remove free-floating debris and uprooted vegetation from shorelines without a permit. Specifically, it permits mechanical or manual removal between the ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge, as long as the activity doesn't impact the lakebed. This change directly affects residents, shoreline property managers, and local groups maintaining areas along Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair shorelines. The exemption does not apply to the St. Clair River delta area in Clay Township, St. Clair County, as defined in 1899 PA 175.