Bill > SB0479

This bill amends Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to modify environmental permit processes and add new provisions for protecting communities considered environmentally overburdened. The bill makes several key changes, including streamlining permit application procedures, removing the existing environmental permit review commission, and introducing a new subpart focused on environmental justice. Specifically, for permits proposed in overburdened communities (defined by factors like low median income, minority population, and limited English proficiency), the bill requires applicants to prepare a detailed environmental justice impact assessment and hold a public hearing. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy must then carefully review the assessment and potential discriminatory impacts, potentially denying permits that could disproportionately harm these communities. The bill also mandates that the department create a publicly accessible list of overburdened communities, update it biannually, and assess additional fees to cover the costs of implementing these new environmental justice provisions. Additionally, the bill maintains existing timelines for permit processing and includes provisions for financial penalties if the department fails to meet processing deadlines, ensuring accountability in the permitting process.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0479