Mailing Address: 

FOIA Coordinator
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 30473
Lansing, MI 48909-7973 

Telephone (FOIA only):  517-241-8166
Fax: 517-241-7428
E-mail: vorces@michigan.gov   

Effective June 6, 2008:  Requesters will be required to pay all FOIA charges, prior to the DEQ mailing documents.

The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Public Act 442 of 1976, regulates and sets requirements for the disclosure of public records by all public bodies in the state. In general, all records except those specifically cited as exceptions are covered by the FOIA. 

A public body may charge a fee for the necessary copying of a public record for inspection or providing a copy of a public record to a requester. A public body may also charge for search, examination, and review and the separation of exempt information in those instances where failure to charge a fee would result in unreasonably high costs to the public body. The fee must be limited to actual duplication, mailing, and labor costs. The first $20 of a fee must be waived for a person who is receiving public assistance or presents facts showing inability to pay because of indigency. 

To request information from DEQ under the Michigan FOIA, please make your request in writing to the DEQ FOIA Coordinator.  There is no form you must complete in order to file a request for DEQ information under FOIA.  Mail, e-mail, or fax your written request to the address or fax number provided above.   Please provide as much detail as possible about the information you are seeking, including the street address of a facility or property if you are seeking information relative to a facility or property.  Include your name, mailing address, fax number, e-mail address, and daytime telephone number in case we need to contact you for clarification.  If you need an estimate of the cost of fulfilling your request BEFORE we take action to fill it, please indicate that in your request.