Terms Used In Michigan Laws 324.30319

  • Department: means the department of environmental quality. See Michigan Laws 324.30301
  • Person: means an individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, association, municipality, this state, an instrumentality or agency of this state, the federal government, an instrumentality or agency of the federal government, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 324.30301
  • Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
  • Wetland: means a land or water feature, commonly referred to as a bog, swamp, or marsh, inundated or saturated by water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances does support, hydric soils and a predominance of wetland vegetation or aquatic life. See Michigan Laws 324.30301
    (1) The department shall promulgate and enforce rules to implement this part.
    (2) If a person is aggrieved by any action or inaction of the department, the person may request a formal hearing on the matter involved. The hearing shall be conducted by the department pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.
    (3) The award of costs in a contested case under this part and the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, is subject to chapter 8 of the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.321 to 24.328. However, regardless of whether the department’s position was substantially justifiable, reasonable expert professional witness fees, as determined by the presiding officer, shall be awarded to a landowner that prevails on the issue of whether the landowner’s property is wetland.
    (4) A determination, action, or inaction by the department following the hearing is subject to judicial review as provided in the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.
    (5) This section does not limit the right of a wetland owner to institute proceedings in any circuit of the circuit court of the state against any person if necessary to protect the wetland owner’s rights.