June Rules & Regs

Florida

The Senate approved a bill that would direct cities or counties with first- magnitude springs to develop septic tank evaluation programs or vote to eliminate the requirement. A similar measure that would give local governments the power to make many decisions about septic tank inspections passed one House committee. Another House bill proposes eliminating the Division of Environmental Health which oversees septic tanks. It also would place county health departments under county commissions, thereby making counties eligible for block grant funding.

 

Utah

A bill would remove the authority of county or city health departments to establish septic system regulations stricter than state or federal rules. The Utah Association of Counties voted unanimously to oppose the bill.

 

Minnesota

The Association of Minnesota Counties is pushing for passage of the Minnesota Accountable Government Innovation and Collaboration Act, which would allow counties to experiment with approaches to streamline services and save money. The legislature would then decide whether to make it a permanent option statewide.

Todd County administrator Nathan Burkett says the act could help his county work with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s ruling that as of April 2012, all septic tanks must meet 2011 design standards. Burkett would rather make sure onsite systems were functioning properly without requiring residents to upgrade them.

 

Maryland

Along with a bill to restrict septic system use in Maryland, Governor Martin O’Malley has proposed an increase in the state’s flush tax. For septic system users, the fee would double from $30 a year to $60. People hooked up to sewer systems could pay more, as the fee would change from the straight $30 to a user fee of $1.80 for up to 2,000 gallons of metered water use and $1.25 for every 1,000 gallons after that.



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