Bills designed to allow for water management districts and for the assessment of costs across watersheds in Michigan are the topic of a special episode of MAC’s Podcast 83 released on June 20.

MAC’s Deena Bosworth hosted a session with Stacy Hissong, general counsel for the Michigan Association of County Drain Commissioners (MACDC) and member of the law firm of Fahey Schultz, on the proposed rewrite of Chapter 22 of the Michigan Drain Code.

House Bills 4382-83, by Reps. Curt VanderWall (R-Mason) and Christine Morse (D-Kalamazoo) respectively, would allow local governments and residents to petition the drain commissioner for the establishment of the districts and, if found necessary, to create a plan to manage stormwater within the district in ways not currently allowed.

The plan would be unique to each district and could include actionable items like regional detention, buffer strips and the creation of wetlands, rain gardens and the like. The intent is to slow down and detain water during major storm events, instead of allowing it to flood roads, fields, businesses and homes on its way to a drain. The plan must include an estimate of the cost of each recommended activity.

The legislation is backed by MAC and MACDC.

See video versions of all Podcast 83 episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9K0ge6AvMM2B6vh7oYNn6g

Visit the Podcast 83 page at www.micounties.org