September 23, 2004 

Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester today announced the following appointments to the Michigan Clean Water Corps Steering Committee:

• Ms. Pearl Bonnell, Operations Director, Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, Inc.
• Mr. Robert Burns, Detroit Riverkeeper, Friends of the Detroit River
• Mr. Elwin Coll, Citizen, Macomb County Health Department Retiree
• Ms. Jane Herbert, District Water Quality Agent, Michigan State University Extension
• Mr. Kevin Cronk, Monitoring and Research Coordinator, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council
• Dr. Joan Martin, Co-Director, Adapt-A-Stream Program, Huron River Watershed Council
• Ms. Marilyn Shy, Executive Director, Michigan Association of Conservation Districts

The Michigan Clean Water Corps Steering Committee was created by a 2003 Executive Order signed by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. Building on existing volunteer water monitoring programs already established by the DEQ, the MCWC will educate Michigan citizens about water quality issues and promote the need for citizens to play an active role in protecting the state’s water resources. The MCWC will also establish and train a network of volunteer monitoring organizations to assist the DEQ in water monitoring and testing programs statewide. The DEQ has contracted with the Great Lakes Commission to assist in the development, implementation, and administration of the MCWC.

“The MCWC will be the catalyst to expand Michigan’s existing volunteer water quality monitoring programs,” said DEQ Director Chester. “It is an exciting prospect to work with existing and future volunteer organizations toward the mutual goal of identifying, gathering, and exchanging reliable and meaningful water quality data for water resources management and protection programs at the state and local level.”

The Steering Committee will hold its first meeting on September 29, 2004, at the DEQ Constitution Hall headquarters in Lansing.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised September 23, 2004 by Linda Davaloz LeVeque