HB 4257 Michigan House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Environmental protection: solid waste; anaerobic digestion and digestate; define. Amends secs. 11502 & 11503 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.11502 & 324.11503). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4265'25

HB 4257 defines key terms related to waste management, specifically for anaerobic digestion byproducts (digestate) and their "beneficial use" in agriculture or construction. It creates five distinct categories of beneficial use (e.g., soil application at agronomic rates, road base, or construction fill) with specific environmental safeguards like runoff prevention and groundwater protection. The bill directly affects waste management facilities, farmers, and construction entities handling digestate or ash by clarifying legal standards for its use. These definitions ensure consistent application under existing environmental rules, requiring materials to meet soil-nutrient balance and pollution prevention criteria.

Issues: ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Jun 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Governor

Introduced Mar 18, 2025 Last action Jun 17, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

House Introduced Bill → As Passed by the House · 4 edits · Jun 12, 2025

MODERATE

The bill reorganized and updated the definitions of beneficial use for waste materials, adding new categories for construction fill, soil stabilization, and construction materials to clarify when waste can be reused on-site. It also expanded the definition of 'beneficial use by-products' to include a wide range of industrial materials like coal ash, foundry sand, and lime residuals, provided they meet specific safety and application standards. Additionally, the bill refined the definition of 'agronomic rate' to explicitly include soil health improvements and minimized runoff.

Scope change

The scope of 'beneficial use' was expanded to include new categories for construction and soil stabilization applications, and the list of eligible industrial by-products was significantly broadened.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Agronomic rate' was updated to explicitly include improving soil physical properties (structure, tilth, water retention) and minimizing runoff and nutrient percolation.

New definitions were added for 'Beneficial use 2' (construction fill, road base, soil stabilizer) and 'Beneficial use 4' (treatment of waste for disposal or landfill use), expanding the ways materials can be legally reused.

The definition of 'Beneficial use by-product' was expanded to explicitly list coal bottom ash, wood ash, pulp and paper mill ash, cement kiln dust, lime kiln dust, stamp sands, foundry sand, and various other industrial residuals as eligible materials.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added for 'Beneficial use 3' (fertilizer/soil conditioner), mandating application at agronomic rates and ensuring the use does not violate groundwater or surface water quality standards.

Floor votes · House Jun 12, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 17, 2025

Committee

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

upper

Jun 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED BY HOUSE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

upper

Jun 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

passed; given immediate effect Roll Call #154 Yeas 62 Nays 35 Excused 0 Not Voting 13

lower

Jun 5, 2025

Committee

referred to second reading

lower

Jun 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

reported with recommendation without amendment

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Committee

referred to Committee on Agriculture

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Introduced

introduced by Representative Rep. Jerry Neyer

lower

1 primary · 27 co-sponsors