Mich. Comp. Laws § 324.30302: Legislative findings; criteria to be considered in administration of part.

Sec. 30302.

The legislature finds that:

Wetland conservation is a matter of state concern since a wetland of 1 county may be affected by acts on a river, lake, stream, or wetland of other counties.

A loss of a wetland may deprive the people of the state of some or all of the following benefits to be derived from the wetland:

Flood and storm control by the hydrologic absorption and storage capacity of the wetland.

Wildlife habitat by providing breeding, nesting, and feeding grounds and cover for many forms of wildlife, waterfowl, including migratory waterfowl, and rare, threatened, or endangered wildlife species.

Protection of subsurface water resources and provision of valuable watersheds and recharging ground water supplies.

Pollution treatment by serving as a biological and chemical oxidation basin.

Erosion control by serving as a sedimentation area and filtering basin, absorbing silt and organic matter.

Sources of nutrients in water food cycles and nursery grounds and sanctuaries for fish.

Wetlands are valuable as an agricultural resource for the production of food and fiber, including certain crops which may only be grown on sites developed from wetland.

That the extraction and processing of nonfuel minerals may necessitate the use of wetland, if it is determined pursuant to section 30311 that the proposed activity is dependent upon being located in the wetland and that a prudent and feasible alternative does not exist.

In the administration of this part, the department shall consider the criteria provided in subsection (1).