AB 866

Well compensation grant program

Under current law, an individual owner or renter of a contaminated private well

may apply for a grant from DNR to cover a portion of the costs to treat the water,

reconstruct the well, construct a new well, connect to a public water supply, or fill and

seal the well. To be eligible for a grant the well owner's or renter's annual family

income may not exceed $65,000. A grant awarded under the program may not pay

more than 75 percent of a project's eligible costs and may not pay any portion of

eligible costs in excess of $16,000. In addition, if the well owner's or renter's annual

family income exceeds $45,000, the amount of the award is reduced by 30 percent of

the amount by which the annual family income exceeds $45,000.

The bill increases the family income limit to $100,000. In addition, under the

bill, a well owner or renter whose family income is below the state's median income

may receive a grant of up to 100 percent of a project's eligible costs, not to exceed

$16,000. The bill also eliminates the requirement to reduce an award by 30 percent

if the well owner's or renter's family income exceeds $45,000. The bill increases the

amount appropriated to DNR for payments under this program by $1,600,000.

The bill also appropriates to DNR $173,000 to fund a position to administer the

program.

Replacement of lead service lines

Under current law, the state may contract up to $74,950,000 in public debt for

the safe drinking water loan program. This bill increases the bonding authority for

the program by $40,000,000 and requires DOA to allocate up to $40,000,000 of the

authorized public debt to projects involving forgivable loans to private users of public

water systems to cover not more than 50 percent of the cost to replace lead service

lines.

Contaminated sediment removal

Under current law, the state may contract up to $36,000,000 in public debt to

pay a portion of the costs of a project to remove contaminated sediment from Lake

Michigan or Lake Superior, or a tributary of Lake Michigan or Lake Superior, if DNR

has identified the body of water as being impaired by the sediment. This bill

increases the bonding authority for sediment removal projects by $21,000,000.

Lake and river protection

Under current law, DNR administers a financial assistance program to provide

lake management planning grants and to award contracts for certain lake projects.

The bill increases the amount appropriated to DNR for this program by $1,494,800.

Under current law, DNR administers a financial assistance program to provide

grants for river planning and management projects and contracts for lake

monitoring and protection. The bill increases the amount appropriated to DNR for

this program by $1,421,000.

Local pollution control grants in TMDL watersheds