AG - State Laws Protecting the Environment

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State Laws Protecting the Environment

STATE LAW
	State law governing the protection of our environment and the conservation of our natural resources is set forth in the Constitution, statutes enacted by the Legislature, and rules adopted by the administrative agencies administering the statutes. The following sites will help you find the text of these laws. The primary statute is the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), 1994 Public Act 451, which can be found at Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 324.101 et seq. This statute is divided into numerous parts, which address many of the different and complex components of resource management and environmental protection. Some of the more significant parts are identified separately below. These include such diverse provisions as those granting the DNR authority to manage state lands and mineral reserves, Part 17 providing a general right to abate environmental impairment, Part 31 protecting our waters from pollution, Part 55 addressing air pollution, Parts 111 and 115 regulating solid and hazardous waste disposal, Part 201 providing for cleanup of environmental contamination sites, Part 301 protecting wetlands, and Parts 321 and 322 providing for a cooperative approach to protecting our Great Lakes in conjunction with the other states located on the Great Lakes. The full text of the NREPA is maintained on-line by both the Michigan Legislature (Michigan Compiled Laws On-Line) and by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). Links to both sources are provided below for your convenience.
	Constitutional Provisions
		1963 Const. Art 4, §52 (Paramount Public Concern) 1963 Const. Art 9, §35 (Natural Resources Trust Fund)
	Statutes
		Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), 1994 PA 451
		The following are links to the text of some of the significant statutory provisions of NREPA:
		Part 5 (creating the Department of Natural Resources) Part 7 (forest amd mineral resource development) Part 11 (general appellate rights and public access to government) Part 17 (Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA)) Part 19 (Natural Resources Trust Fund) Part 31 (Water Resources Protection) Part 55 (Air Pollution Control) Part 91 (Soil Conservation, Erosion and Sedimentation Control) Part 111(Hazardous Waste Management) Part 115 (Solid Waste Management) Part 121 (Liquid Industrial Wastes) Part 201 (Environmental Remediation) Part 211 (Underground Storage Tanks) Part 301 (Inland Lakes and Streams) Part 303 (Wetland Protection) Part 321 (Great Lakes Compact Authorization) Part 322 (Great Lakes Basin Compact) Executive Order 1995-16 (Creating Department of Environmental Quality)
	Regulations
		State Administrative Rules (Office of Regulatory Reform) DNR Administrative Rules MDEQ Administrative Rules