COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 332 (as introduced 4-30-13)
Sponsor: Senator John Moolenaar
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 85 (Fertilizers) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to authorize the application of a natural fertilizer to turf in certain amounts.
Part 85 allows a person to apply a finished sewage sludge product, an organic manure, or a manipulated manure to turf at a rate of not more than 0.25 pound of phosphorus per 1,000 square feet at any time. The bill, instead, would allow a person to apply biosolids, a natural fertilizer, or a manipulated manure to turf at that rate at any time.
The bill would define "natural fertilizer" as a substance composed only of natural organic, natural inorganic, or both types of fertilizer materials and natural filers.
"Biosolids" would mean a product consisting in whole or in part of sewage sludge that is distributed to the public and that is disinfected by means of composting, pasteurization, wet air oxidation, heat treatment, or other means. Currently, that is the definition of "finished sewage sludge product", which the bill would delete.
Part 85 defines "organic manure" as manure derived solely from living organisms without manipulation. The bill would delete that definition.
("Manipulated manure" means animal or vegetable manure that is ground, pelletized, mechanically dried, packaged, supplemented with plant nutrients or other substances other than phosphorous, or otherwise treated in a manner to assist with the sale or distribution of the manure as a fertilizer or soil or plant additive.)
MCL 324.8501 & 324.8512b Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.