May 19, 2005

Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester announced today that additional state funding totaling $1.75 million will help clean up more than 1.5 million additional scrap tires from sites across the state.

The DEQ had selected 31 applicants to receive grant awards in January totaling $2.9 million with funding made available under the authority of Part 169, Scrap Tires, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended. The supplemental appropriation announced today awards grants to an additional 5 sites, and will further the DEQ’s efforts to address scrap tire cleanup throughout Michigan.

The following is a listing of the approved projects receiving Scrap Tire Cleanup contracts under the program as a result of additional funding made available with the $1.75 million supplemental appropriation:

Name                                  County                            Amount

Allegan County                    Allegan                          $1,050,000
Robert A. Brown                  St. Joseph                      $   486,500
Clare County                       Clare                              $     31,400
Everett Township                 Newaygo                         $   142,500
Rex Parrish                         Montcalm                       $     39,600

For further information regarding these grants, please contact Rhonda Oyer Zimmerman at (517) 373-4750 or e-mail at oyerr@michigan.gov.

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

Revised May 19, 2005 by Pat Watson