HB 5979 Summary

• Amends the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act to establish conditions under which local governments cannot prohibit natural resource extraction by mining, requiring that natural resources be valuable and that very serious consequences would not result from extraction.

• Requires applicants seeking mining permits to submit detailed plans including site plans with specific setbacks (50 feet from roads/property lines, 200 feet for screening equipment, 300 feet from residential dwellings), haul routes, stockpile heights, and reclamation plans.

• Establishes two alternative pathways for demonstrating no very serious consequences: submitting a comprehensive extraction plan meeting detailed specifications, or demonstrating through relevant factors that extraction would not cause very serious consequences.

• Limits local government regulation of mining operations to reasonable controls on hours of operation, blasting, noise levels (maximum 75-90 dB(A) depending on zoning), dust, and traffic that do not exceed specified standards.

• Requires financial assurance for reclamation (up to $3,000 per disturbed acre) and establishes automatic permit approval if local government does not decide within 180 days of receiving a complete application; permits remain valid until mining and reclamation are completed.