WATERCRAFT POLLUTION CONTROL

MCL ch. 324, subtit. Act 451 of 1994, art. II, ch. 2, pt. 324.9501.D10, pt. 95

in effect

MCL 324.9501 Definitions.

324.9501. Definitions. Sec. 9501. As used in this part: (a) "Approved holding tank" means a holding tank certified by the United States coast guard under part 159 of subchapter O of chapter I of title 33 of the code of federal regulations, 33 C.F.R. part 159. (b) "Discharge" means spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping. (c) "Docking facility" means a public, private, or commercial marina, yacht club, dock, or wharf used for mooring, serving, or otherwise handling watercraft. (d) "Litter" means rubbish, refuse, waste material, garbage, offal, paper, glass, cans, bottles, trash, debris, oil, or other foreign substances of every kind and description. (e) "Marine sanitation device" means equipment designed for installation on board a watercraft or installed on board a watercraft to receive, retain, treat, or discharge sewage. (f) "Oil" means oil of any kind or in any form, including petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, and oil refuse. (g) "Police officer" means a police officer as defined in section 42 of the Michigan vehicle code, Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of 1949, being section 257.42 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, and a conservation officer. (h) "Portable" means not permanently affixed to a watercraft and capable of being immediately removed from a watercraft. (i) "Sewage" means human body wastes, treated or untreated. (j) "Watercraft" means a contrivance used or capable of being used for navigation upon water, whether or not capable of self-propulsion, including foreign and domestic vessels engaged in commerce upon the waters of this state, passenger or other cargo-carrying vessels, and privately owned recreational watercraft. (k) "Waters of this state" means waters within the territorial limits of this state including the waters of the Great Lakes that are under the jurisdiction of this state. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9502 Prohibition of discharges into water.

324.9502. Prohibition of discharges into water. Sec. 9502. (1) A person shall not place, throw, deposit, discharge, or cause to be discharged into or onto the waters of this state, any litter, sewage, oil, or other liquid or solid materials that render the water unsightly, noxious, or otherwise unwholesome so as to be detrimental to the public health or welfare or to the enjoyment of the water for recreational purposes. (2) A person shall not discharge, dump, throw, or deposit garbage, litter, sewage, or oil from a recreational, domestic, or foreign watercraft used for pleasure or for the purpose of carrying passengers, cargo, or otherwise engaged in commerce on the waters of this state. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9503 Pollution control devices as condition to mooring or operating watercraft; rendering bypass connection, pump, or other device incapable of discharging sewage; exempting certain watercraft by rule; inspection; sticker.

324.9503. Pollution control devices as condition to mooring or operating watercraft; rendering bypass connection, pump, or other device incapable of discharging sewage; exempting certain watercraft by rule; inspection; sticker. Sec. 9503. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person shall not moor or operate a watercraft, or permit the mooring or operation of his or her watercraft, on the waters of this state if the watercraft has a marine sanitation device, unless the marine sanitation device is equipped with 1 or more of the following pollution control devices: (a) An approved holding tank that will retain all sewage produced on the watercraft for subsequent disposal at approved dockside or onshore collection and treatment facilities. (b) An incinerating device that will reduce to ash all sewage produced on the watercraft. The ash shall be disposed of onshore in a manner that will preclude pollution. (2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person shall not moor or operate a watercraft on the waters of this state if the watercraft has a marine sanitation device that is equipped with any type of bypass connection, pump, or other means of directly or indirectly discharging sewage into the waters of this state, unless the bypass connection, pump, or other device has been rendered incapable of directly or indirectly discharging sewage into the waters of this state. This subsection does not prohibit a properly installed discharge line used to empty a holding tank or retention device at an onshore sewage pump-out station, or prohibit the use of a portable marine sanitation device. A bypass connection, pump, or other device shall be rendered incapable of directly or indirectly discharging sewage into the waters of this state by 1 of the following methods: (a) Removing a section of the pipe or tubing that allows discharge of sewage into the waters of this state, placing a cap over the pipe or tubing that remains attached to the marine sanitation device, and placing a seal approved by the department over the cap in a manner that precludes reattaching the pipe or tubing without breaking the seal. To comply with the requirements of this subsection, the seal must be unbroken at the time an inspection occurs. (b) Closing a valve that will prevent all discharge of sewage into the waters of the state, and placing a seal approved by the department over the valve handle in a manner that precludes reopening the valve without breaking the seal. To comply with the requirements of this subsection, the seal must be unbroken at the time an inspection occurs. (3) The department, by rule, may exempt certain oceangoing watercraft from the requirements of this section. (4) If the department conducts an inspection to determine whether a watercraft is in compliance with this section and finds that the watercraft is in compliance, the department shall place a sticker on the watercraft that lists the date that the watercraft was inspected. The department shall not inspect a watercraft for compliance with this section more than once per year except upon probable cause. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9504 Pump-out facilities.

324.9504. Pump-out facilities. Sec. 9504. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all docking facilities shall provide pump-out facilities approved by the department of public health for marine sanitation device holding tanks on the watercraft. All pump-out facility plans and installations shall be approved by the department of public health or its authorized representative. (2) An existing docking facility that would otherwise be required by this section to have pump-out facilities is not required to have those facilities if it has a contract to use, and does use, the pump-out facilities of a docking facility in the vicinity. A contract between docking facilities under this subsection shall be approved by the department. This subsection does not apply to any docking facility that is constructed after May 1, 1990, or whose capacity is expanded by a cumulative amount exceeding 25%, or more than 15 slips, whichever is less, of the capacity existing on May 1, 1990. (3) A docking facility that is constructed after May 1, 1990 or whose capacity is expanded by a cumulative amount exceeding 25%, or more than 15 slips, whichever is less, of the capacity existing on May 1, 1990 shall provide pump-out facilities as required by this part. (4) A docking facility that has a capacity of 15 watercraft or less is exempt from the requirement of subsection (1). (5) A docking facility holding only small watercraft of a type not equipped with a marine sanitation device is exempt from the requirements of subsection (1). 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9505 Discharge of oil prohibited; removal of oil from waters, shorelines, or beaches.

324.9505. Discharge of oil prohibited; removal of oil from waters, shorelines, or beaches. Sec. 9505. (1) A person shall not discharge or permit the discharge of oil from a watercraft or a docking facility into or onto the waters of this state. (2) The owner or operator of a watercraft who, whether directly or through any person concerned in the operation, navigation, or management of the watercraft, discharges, permits, or causes or contributes to the discharge of oil into or onto the waters of this state or adjoining shorelines or beaches shall immediately remove the oil from the waters, shorelines, or beaches. If the state removes the oil that was discharged from the watercraft, the owner or operator, or both, are liable to the state for the full amount of the costs reasonably incurred for its removal. The state may bring action against the owner or operator, or both, to recover such costs in any court of competent jurisdiction. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9506 Inspection of watercraft, marinas and docks; facilities required.

324.9506. Inspection of watercraft, marinas and docks; facilities required. Sec. 9506. All watercraft moored, operated, or located upon the waters of this state are subject to inspection by the department, or any peace, conservation, or police officer for the purpose of determining if the watercraft is equipped in compliance with the requirements of this part. The department may inspect marinas and other waterside facilities used by watercraft for launching, docking, or mooring purposes to determine if they are equipped with trash receptacles, sewage disposal equipment, or both. Commercial docks and wharfs designed for receiving and loading cargo or freight, or both, from commercial watercraft shall furnish facilities, if determined necessary, as prescribed by the department, to accommodate discharge of sewage from heads and galleys and for deposit of litter, garbage, trash, or bilge waters from the watercraft that utilize the docks or wharfs. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9507 State rights reserves; prohibition of local regulations.

324.9507. State rights reserves; prohibition of local regulations. Sec. 9507. The state fully reserves to itself the exclusive right to establish requirements with reference to the disposal or discharge of sewage, litter, and oil from all watercraft. In order to assure statewide uniformity, the regulation by any political subdivision of the state of waste disposal from watercraft is prohibited. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9508 Rules.

324.9508. Rules. Sec. 9508. (1) The department may promulgate rules that are necessary or convenient to implement this part. (2) The department of public health may promulgate rules necessary for the regulation of docking facility water supplies and sewage systems, pump-out facilities, and dockside sanitary facilities. (3) Before promulgating a rule under this section, the department or the department of public health shall appoint and consult with an advisory committee that is representative of the major interests affected by the proposed rule. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

MCL 324.9510 Violation of part or rules as misdemeanor; penalty.

324.9510. Violation of part or rules as misdemeanor; penalty. Sec. 9510. A person who violates this part or the rules promulgated under this part is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 92 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both. 1994, Act 451, Eff. Mar. 30, 1995 [PopularName] Act 451 [PopularName] NREPA

Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/Chapter%20324.xmlFetched: 10/20/2026