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Water withdrawal registration: third-party analysis alternative

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Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Water withdrawal registration: third-party analysis alternative

If a proposed withdrawal doesn't pass the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool, a site-specific review can be requested from EGLE or, alternatively, a third-party analysis can be submitted by the property owner to EGLE to pursue authorization of the withdrawal. 

Both the site-specific review and the third-party analysis are deeper investigations performed by professionals which can override the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool, often resulting in a successful registration. 

Starting the third-party alternative analysis

A property owner can hire a professional hydrologist or hydrogeologist to submit an analysis of a proposed Large Quantity Withdrawal with a capacity of up to 1,000,000 gallons per day (694 gallons per minute) instead of requesting EGLE to do the analysis under a site-specific review. 

All analyses must determine the likelihood of an Adverse Resource Impact occurring as a result of the proposed withdrawal as defined and required by Part 327, Great Lakes Preservation, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended (NREPA).

Administratively incomplete alternative submittals will be returned to the property owner and agent (if applicable), along with the administrative completeness review checklist. The alternative analysis submittal will be closed. The property owner and/or agent can resubmit another alternative submittal.

Our Water Use Program staff will conduct technical reviews of administratively complete submittals within the timeframes specified in Subsection 32706c (2) and notify the property owner and agent (if applicable) of the results of the alternative analysis.

Timeframe

A required by law, we have 20 (or in limited cases 25) business days from receipt of a complete submittal to determine whether the proposed Large Quantity Withdrawal can be registered. In those limited cases where 25 business days are required to make a determination, we will notify you in writing.

If we do not make a determination in 20 (or 25) business days, you may register your proposed Large Quantity Withdrawal pursuant to Subsection 32706c (2)(a) of the NREPA. We will notify you in writing if your proposed Large Quantity Withdrawal can be registered or if it cannot be registered under Subsection 32706c (2) of the NREPA.

Email

Where to submit your completed alternative analysis

Completed alternative analyses can be submitted electronically to the Water Use Program at WaterUseProgram@Michigan.gov. 

If the file is too large to send by email attachment, please contact us to provide other means of file transfer.

Hard copy submittals are accepted and should be addressed to:

Mr. Jim Milne, Supervisor
Water Use Assessment Unit
EGLE; Geologic Resources Management Division
P.O. Box 30256
Lansing, Michigan 48909-7756