August 15, 2007

The Department of Environmental Quality today announced the creation of a new General Permit category that allows property owners along the Great Lakes to request authorization to conduct approved shoreline management activities through a simplified permit process with a reduced application fee. This new permit was developed through the DEQ's Shoreline Management Policy Workgroup that consisted of representatives from a number of different state and federal resource agencies and citizen groups such as Save Our Shoreline and the Michigan Environmental Council.

The workgroup was charged with determining the best way to protect the ecological values of Great Lakes shorelands while recognizing the interests of the landowners. The resulting general permit authorizes leveling and grooming of sand in areas free of vegetation, construction and maintenance of a temporary access walkway in areas free of vegetation using on-site materials, limited mowing of vegetation for a pathway, certain recreation areas, and in previously mowed areas of Saginaw Bay and Grand Traverse Bay, and limited mowing for control of invasive or non-native species such as Phragmites with an invasive species control plan in accordance with recommendations provided by the DEQ.

The final general permit was approved on August 1, and shoreline property owners may begin applying for authorization under the permit immediately. More detailed descriptions of allowable activities, along with a simplified application form can be found by clicking on "Great Lakes Shoreline Management" at www.michigan.gov/deqwetlands. In addition, the public is invited to attend several information sessions to be held by the DEQ on the following dates: August 29, at Caseville High School in Caseville; August 30, at the Doubletree Inn in Bay City; and September 13, at the Northwestern Michigan University Main Campus in the Oleson Center in Traverse City. All information sessions will run from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

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 August 15, 2007 by Pat Watson