Page 54 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

65 new process for members. MFB supports the
66 Southwest Water Resource Council which is charged
67 with studying water resources in the region. We further
68 support the creation of regional models that would
69 potentially pre-empt the site specific review within the
70 state’s well approval process.
71 We recommend that privately collected data from a
72 monitoring well, or hydrogeologic study of a larger
73 geographic area, be accepted as proof there is no
74 adverse resource impact. Where there is a suspected
75 adverse resource impact, the burden of proof should lie
76 with the State to physically verify the adverse impact.
77 We support the Aquifer Conflict and Dispute
78 Resolution law and further support the following
79 changes to the process:
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Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) shall certify a number of well drillers to verify complaints by onsite inspection. These contracted well drillers will be ineligible to replace, repair or modify any well they are sent to inspect.
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90 We reaffirm that management and regulation of the
91 waters of the Great Lakes Basin does not require water
92 use permitting. Burdensome regulation is not necessary
93 to protect the Great Lakes and could challenge the
94 competitiveness of Michigan farms. Any laws that
95 include water use permitting must be carefully examined
96 and opposed if they do not include the following
97 provisions:
The owner of a high capacity well is not assumed at fault until proven otherwise.
Establish a statute of limitations and release from future claims.
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No fees may EVER be charged for agricultural water use.
Existing documented surface and groundwater uses or sites must be grandfathered.
Water use permits for withdrawals that supply a common distribution system of less than two million gallons per day in any 90-day consecutive period for agriculture must be handled by MDARD.
Allow municipalities or other governments having jurisdiction over artificial impoundments, such as ponds and lakes, to drain down the body to facilitate the removal of accumulated sediments.
We support:
Continued MFB leadership in the implementation of
Public Acts 179-189 of 2008 the state’s water withdrawal assessment law in accordance with MFB policy.
Asking for an increased role in any current or future
Page 12 – Thursday Delegate Session