House Local Government Committee passed new rules that shifts costs from municipalities to unsuspecting homeowners

Michigan LCV criticized legislation passed out of House committee on Wednesday, September 13 that shifts the burden of cleanup costs incurred when relatively frequent storm events (expected to occur every five to ten years) cause sewers to back up from local governments to homeowners. House Bill 4290, sponsored by Rep. Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills), was approved today by a vote of 6 in favor, 4 opposed and 1 pass.

Charlotte Jameson, Government Affairs Director gave the following statement on the bill’s passage:

Private property owners should not be saddled with the costs of sewage backing up into their homes or businesses because their municipality’s stormwater management systems are out of date and insufficient,” said Charlotte Jameson, government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Unfortunately, House Bill 4290 leaves homeowners to cover the costs of our aging sewer infrastructure, while doing nothing to help communities make the infrastructure upgrades that are needed to prevent these problems in the first place.”