Sec. 31701.

As used in this part:

(a) "Agricultural well" means a high-capacity well that is located on a farm and is used for an agricultural purpose as that term is defined in section 32701.

(b) "Complaint" means a complaint submitted under section 31702 alleging a potential groundwater dispute.

(c) "Construction" means the process of building a building, road, utility, or another structure, including all of the following:

(i) Assembling materials.

(ii) Disassembling and removing a structure.

(iii) Preparing the construction site.

(iv) Work related to any of the items described in subparagraphs (i) to (iii).

(d) "Department" means the department of environmental quality.

(e) "Dewatering well" means a well or pump that is used to remove water from a mining operation or that is used for a limited time period as part of a construction project to remove or pump water from a surface or subsurface area and ceases to be used upon completion of the construction project or shortly after completion of the construction project.

(f) "Director" means the director of the department or his or her designee.

(g) "Farm" means that term as it is defined in section 2 of the Michigan right to farm act, 1981 PA 93, MCL 286.472.

(h) "Fund" means the aquifer protection revolving fund created in section 31710.

(i) "Groundwater" means the water in the zone of saturation that fills all of the pore spaces of the subsurface geologic material.

(j) "Groundwater dispute" means a groundwater dispute declared by order of the director or the director of the department of agriculture and rural development under section 31703.

(k) "High-capacity well" means 1 or more water wells associated with an industrial or processing facility, an irrigation facility, or a farm that, in the aggregate from all sources and by all methods, have the capability of withdrawing 100,000 or more gallons of groundwater in 1 day.

(l) "Local health department" means that term as it is defined in section 1105 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.1105.

(m) "Owner of a high-capacity well" means the person that owns or controls the parcel of property where a high-capacity well is located.

(n) "Owner of a small-quantity well" means the person that owns or controls the parcel of property where a small-capacity well is located.

(o) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity.

(p) "Potable water" means water that at the point of use is acceptable for human consumption.

(q) "Small-quantity well" means 1 or more water wells of a person at the same location that, in the aggregate from all sources and by all methods, do not have the capability of withdrawing 100,000 or more gallons of groundwater in 1 day.

(r) "Water well" means an opening in the surface of the earth, however constructed, that is used for the purpose of withdrawing groundwater. Water well does not include a drain as defined in section 3 of the drain code of 1956, 1956 PA 40, MCL 280.3.

(s) "Well drilling contractor" means a well drilling contractor registered under part 127 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.12701 to 333.12771.

History: Add. 2012, Act 602, Imd. Eff. Jan. 9, 2013 ;-- Am. 2013, Act 86, Imd. Eff. June 28, 2013 Compiler's Notes: Former MCL 324.31701, which pertained to definitions used in part, was repealed by Act 176 of 2009, Imd. Eff. Dec. 15, 2009.Popular Name: Act 451Popular Name: NREPA