HB 4777 Summary

• Requires the Department of Environmental Quality to hold a public hearing in the city, village, or township where an oil or gas well is located before issuing a permit for hydraulic fracturing operations, if requested by the local government or any person who may be adversely impacted.

• Allows interested parties, including affected residents and those whose water supply may be impacted, to provide written comments and recommendations at the public hearing for the supervisor to consider when reviewing permit applications.

• Expands the weekly public information disclosure requirement for oil and gas well permit applications to include whether the well will be used for hydraulic fracturing.

• Modifies permit application procedures to require information disclosure to both the county and the city, village, or township where an oil or gas well is proposed, removing the previous population threshold restriction.

• Defines "hydraulic fracturing" as injecting foam or fluid into a well under pressure to create fractures in a formation to enhance hydrocarbon production.