Michigan Laws 213.56a – Reversal of agency’s election of reservation of rights; revised good faith offer; stipulation to reverse agency election and waive cost recovery claim against owner
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(1) If an agency elects to reserve its rights to bring a state or federal cost recovery claim against an owner, the court upon motion of the owner, which must be filed within the time prescribed to responsively plead after service of a complaint, may reverse that election and order the agency to waive its claims, if the owner establishes by affidavit, and after an evidentiary hearing if requested by the agency in the time prescribed to provide an answer to a motion, 1 or more of the following circumstances exist with respect to the property:
(a) The property is a single family residence and has been used solely for residential purposes.
Terms Used In Michigan Laws 213.56a
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Agency: means a public agency or private agency. See Michigan Laws 213.51
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Owner: means a person, fiduciary, partnership, association, corporation, or a governmental unit or agency having an estate, title, or interest, including beneficial, possessory, and security interest, in a property sought to be condemned. See Michigan Laws 213.51
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
(b) The property is “agricultural property” as defined in section 20101 of part 201 (environmental remediation) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, Act No. 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being section 324.20101 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, and the reservation of rights arises out of a release of hazardous substances caused by the application of a fertilizer, soil conditioner, agronomically applied manure, or a pesticide or a combination of these substances according to label directions and according to generally accepted agricultural and management practices, as defined by the Michigan right to farm act, Act No. 93 of the Public Acts of 1981, being section 286.471 to 286.474 of the Michigan Compiled Laws.
(c) The owner is the only identified potentially responsible party, the extent of contamination and cost of remediation has been reasonably quantified, and the estimated cost of remediation does not exceed the agency’s appraised value of the property.
(2) If the court reverses the agency’s election of reservation of rights under subsection (1), the agency shall submit to the owner a revised good faith offer. The revised good faith offer shall be considered the good faith offer for purposes of section 5 and 16.
(3) An agency and an owner may stipulate that the agency will reverse its election and waive its rights to bring a state or federal cost recovery claim against an owner.