The Department of Environmental Quality announced today the availability of a grant application package for three categories of water quality monitoring projects including $200,000 for inland lakes beach monitoring grants, $150,000 for local water quality monitoring grants, and $150,000 for emerging issue monitoring grants. Local government and nonprofit entities are eligible for funding and are encouraged to apply.

The grant application package is available online at: http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3686_3728---,00.html, or by contacting Denise Page at (517) 335-6969, or paged@michigan.gov. The application package contains funding priorities, detailed instructions on developing a proposal, the criteria by which proposals will be evaluated, and the items that should be included with the grant application. Applications are due by February 20, 2009.

For questions regarding an inland lake beach monitoring grant, contact Shannon Briggs at (517) 335-1214, or briggss4@michigan.gov, and for questions regarding local water quality monitoring or emerging issue monitoring grants, contact Kay Edly at (517) 373-4633, or edlyk@michigan.gov.

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 January 27, 2009 by Pat Watson