September 8, 2006

The Department of Environmental Quality announced today that it is awarding 19 grants totaling over $6.3 million in state and federal funds to restore and protect Michigan’s lakes and streams and help local communities better manage their land resources. The grants will fund a broad range of activities including local watershed-based planning and education, stream restoration and protection, and innovative storm water treatments such as green roofs and rain gardens.

“We are pleased to continue supporting local efforts to address pollution at all sources, and to develop sustainable neighborhoods,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “These grants are a continuation of our commitment to restore and protect Michigan's environment.”

The 19 groups receiving the funding announced today are:

• Annis Water Resources Institute of Grand Valley State University -
  $154,918

• Chippewa/East Mackinac Conservation District - $618,403

• City of Dearborn Heights - $1,000,000

• Huron Pines Resource Conservation Development Center - $61,333

• Metro Health Hospital - $400,000

• Branch County Conservation District - $191,544

• Leelanau Conservancy - $447,500

• City of Pontiac Department of Public Works - $160,907

• Wayne County, Department of Environment - $163,196

• The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay - $172,688

• Land Conservancy of West Michigan - $483,623

• City of Lansing - $595,473

• Long Lake Township - $26,428

• Huron River Watershed Council - $396,962

• Kalamazoo River Watershed Council - $258,222

• Macatawa Area Coordinating Council - $80,001

• Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy - $1,000,000

• Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (Second Project) -
  $215,000

• Center for Water and Society, Michigan Tech - $38,667

All 19 grants being awarded are administered by the DEQ’s Nonpoint Source Program. Since the Nonpoint Source Program began issuing grants in 1990, over $110 million has been awarded to local communities and nonprofit groups to protect and restore Michigan’s water resources. These projects have thus far resulted in preventing over 273,000 tons of sediment and 301 tons of nutrients from reaching Michigan’s lakes and streams each year.

Funding for the 19 new grants is through Clean Michigan Initiative Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Grants, CMI Clean Water Fund, and Federal Clean Water Act Sections 319 and 205 funds. Further information on the projects the grants will be funding is available at www.michigan.gov/deqnps.

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

“Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised September 8, 2006 by Pat Watson