Representative Saint Germain, sponsor of House Bill 4314, told the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism that the bill is intended to “remove the red tape” so lakefront owners, condominium associations and businesses can hire contractors to remove free‑floating surface algae and organic mats from shorelines without undergoing the current permitting process. The sponsor framed the measure as a response to increasing deposits of surface muck on Lake St. Clair and other inland waters.

The bill’s supporters, including Macomb County Public Works and local business owners, said faster mechanical removal would reduce safety and recreational hazards, protect local businesses and limit recurring cleanup costs for property owners. John Karen, community services coordinator for Macomb County Public Works, said the proposal would apply to surface debris only and not to dredging: “Removing material from the lake bottom is what is managed through the dredging permitting process,” he told the committee, adding that a recent two‑year study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Macomb County produced a management framework that supports mechanical removal and that the state appropriated $800,000 for a pilot cleanup.

Freedom Boat Club owner Steven Dobreff and an organizer for Save Lake Saint Clair described navigation, business and health impacts from dense mats of algae and decomposing vegetation that have accumulated behind marinas and in protected coves. Dobreff said the buildup has reduced usable water for recreation and posed hazards to boat engines; a Save Lake Saint Clair speaker told the committee that Lake St. Clair supplies drinking water to about 40% of Michigan residents and described the surface mats as a “sponge of nastiness” that can absorb contaminants carried in storm and sewer overflows.

Representatives on the committee questioned whether the bill’s broad language — which exempts “mechanical means” to remove floating vegetation — might inadvertently allow activities that federal or state dredging rules would treat as dredging. Representative Woodin and Representative Wooden asked whether the statutory definition of allowed equipment could be narrowed to authorize only harvesters designed to skim surface material, not excavators that could remove bottom material. Vice Chair McFaul and other members also sought clarity on where the line would be drawn between surface removal and dredging that affects the lake bottom.

Representatives of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) said they support efforts to address the problem but cautioned that part 325 permitting under Michigan law already includes a minor project category that may be used for expedited approval of mechanical removal in some cases and that state permits are currently synced with federal authorization processes, such as water‑quality certification and coastal zone management certification. Dylan Gebhard, legislative liaison for EGLE, and Jared Sanders, director of EGLE’s Water Resources Division, said EGLE staff are participating in a local task force and are willing to work with the bill sponsor to craft a targeted approach that protects Great Lakes resources while providing a practical solution for shoreline cleanup.

Committee members and witnesses described two related funding and management efforts: a completed two‑year Army Corps study (described in testimony as a roughly $400,000 effort) that produced treatment guidance, and a separate $800,000 state pilot appropriation for removal and treatment processes. Supporters said streamlined permission for private contractors could let property owners act sooner, while EGLE emphasized the need to preserve federal and state review where activities could affect the lake bed.

No committee vote on HB 4314 was recorded during the hearing. The committee read submitted cards in support and then moved on to a later presentation about trails and greenways.

Ending: Committee staff said follow‑up meetings with EGLE and federal partners will continue; the committee plans to meet again on October 29 to consider additional bills and votes.