June 18, 2004

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester today announced that nearly $400,000 in grants have been awarded to assist local governments, universities, and nonprofit organizations to monitor the quality of Michigan’s water resources. The grants are made possible through the Clean Michigan Initiative – Clean Water Fund.

“Michigan has a proud history of protecting the quality of our waters,” said Governor Granholm. “These grants will allow local communities to monitor lakes and streams, and develop means to ensure they stay clean for future generations to enjoy.”

The 10 recipients of the $399,128 in grants are:

• The Three Lakes Association was awarded $61,623 in grant funds to
  develop a predictive nutrient model for Torch Lake and identify management
  options.

• Grand Valley State University was awarded $30,982 in grant funds to
  develop a nutrient budget for White Lake and identify potential remediation
  strategies.

• Washtenaw County Drain Commissioner was awarded $47,000 in grant
  funds to monitor storm sewers draining into Malletts Creek for E. coli and
  quantify species-specific bacteria sources.

• Lake Superior State University was awarded $34,732 in grant funds to
  evaluate the water quality and identify potential contamination sources in
  the Charlotte and Millicoquins River Watersheds and selected Lake
  Michigan tributaries in the Upper Peninsula.

• Kalamazoo Nature Center was awarded $87,000 in grant funds to locate
  purple loosestrife patches throughout the Portage Creek and surrounding
  watersheds and to evaluate the effects of ongoing biocontrols.

• Macomb County was awarded $22,000 in grant funds to collect and analyze
  water, sediment, and fish tissue samples for polybrominated diphenyl ethers
  (PBDEs), perfluorooctane sulfonate, and polychlorinated naphthalenes
  (PCNs) from the Lake St. Clair and Clinton River Watersheds.

• Leelanau Conservancy was awarded $50,791 in grant funds to assess algal
  toxin microcystin levels in water, sediment, and aquatic life tissues.

• The city of Ann Arbor was awarded $26,000 in grant funds to monitor
  antibiotics, hormones, personal care products, PBDEs, and PCNs within
  the city’s water use cycle.

• The city of Grand Rapids was awarded $26,000 in grant funds to monitor
  antibiotics, hormones, personal care products, PBDEs, and PCNs within
  the city’s water use cycle.

• The city of Monroe was awarded $13,000 in grant funds to monitor
  antibiotics, hormones, personal care products, PBDEs, and PCNs within
  the city’s water use cycle.

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

Revised June 18, 2004 by Pat Watson