HB 6123 H-3: Establishes the Water Use Advisory Council in state law

The bill would amend Part 328 (Aquifer Protection) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) to do the following:

• Rename the Water Resources Conservation Advisory Council as the “Water Use Advisory Council”.
• Revise the membership of the Council, including the appointment and terms of members.
• Allow the Council to appoint technical advisors with specific scientific, technical, legal,and similar expertise relevant to the Council’s responsibilities.
• Delete certain provisions specifying the Council’s responsibilities.nRequire the Council to make certain recommendations to the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Legislature regarding the implementation of Part 327 (Great Lakes Preservation) of NREPA.
• Require the Council include in its report to the Legislature recommendations on staffing, budgetary, software, and other resources required by the departments to successfully implement Part 327, and require the report to be provided to the Legislature every two years.