Board approves revisions to Upper Peninsula environmental health code

The Alger County Board of Commissioners voted on June 15 to approve proposed revisions to the Upper Peninsula environmental health code, following a presentation by LMS district health department staff. Linda, representing LMS, told the board the changes respond to a state audit and are intended to clarify language rather than alter current permitting practice. "We changed our code, intending not to change the way that we operate, and they have some issues with some of the language in the code," Linda said.

The revisions spelled out jurisdictional language (names of counties covered were added to the code language), adjusted definitions so alternative treatment systems are allowed under the department's alternative technical manual, and restored the prior definition of conventional sewage systems to include septic tanks and absorption systems. Linda also described edits to construction-permit language to explicitly allow permit issuance "pursuant to an application and the criteria of [the] alternative manual" and clarified the code's prohibition of a long-term pump-and-haul approach except in temporary emergency use. The board moved to approve the agreement and voted in favor; the clerk will include the materials in meeting records.