Commission Wrap Up: Houghton County Opposes Proposed State Wide Septic System Inspection Bill

Houghton County will send a letter addressing opposition to a proposed state wide septic system tax and inspection bill. House Bill 44-79, to address septic system inspections in the state of Michigan, is currently under review with the House Committee on Natural Resources, and would implement a tax fee schedule and septic system inspection program across the state, taking away health departments local control. The proposed legislation has been opposed by a unanimous vote of the WUPHD board of health, comprised of health department officials, and representatives from the five western Upper Peninsula counties (Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, Onotnagon, and Gogebic counties). Representative Greg Markkanen, while in attendance at the commission meeting, expressed a desire to keep septic system regulations as local as possible.

“There’s a reason the state of Michigan has not had a state wide program for that. because the geology in the Keweenaw County is much different than, say South East or South West Michigan. My caucus feels that this would put a new burden on local health departments and local county governments.” – 110th Representative Greg Markkanen, Hancock

Houghton will send a copy of the county’s opposition letter to Representative Markkanen, Senator Ed McBroom, Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairwoman Laurie Pohutsky, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, and Marquette Representative Jen Hill. Additionally the commission approved annual appropriations for the Western UP Health Department for close to 272,000 dollars, and appropriations with Copper Country Mental health for nearly 165,000 dollars. The final approved expenditure will come from the 911 committee’s budget, to purchase new Fire department pagers with a range of 800 mHz. The pagers will cost the 911 committee just over 50,000 dollars.