EXECUTIVE ORDER

No. 1999 - 10

MICHIGAN WATER QUALITY MONITORING ADVISORY BOARD

MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

WHEREAS, the waters of the state of Michigan are one of the primary natural resources of the state; and

WHEREAS Michigan has more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 11,037 inland lakes and 36,350 miles of rivers and streams, and

WHEREAS, Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes, which constitute 18 percent of the world's fresh water and are critical to the health and well being of Michigan residents and the state's economy; and

WHEREAS, maintaining and improving the quality of these waters is necessary and essential to improve natural resource management, maintain sustainable ecosystems, protect public health an support a healthy economy in Michigan; and

WHEREAS, Act No. 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, as amended, being Section 324.8801 et seq. of the Michigan Compiled Laws, creates the Clean Water Fund (fund) within the state treasury and directs the Department of Environmental Quality (Department) to expend money in the fund to implement programs described in the Department's document entitled, "A Strategic Environmental Quality Monitoring Program for Michigan's Surface Waters," (Monitoring Strategy) dated January 1997; and

WHEREAS, long-term comprehensive water quality monitoring data is essential to protecting and improving the quality of the state's waters; and

WHEREAS, a long-term comprehensive water quality monitoring system must be scientifically sound, quality assured, and statistically valid;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, John Engler, Governor of the state of Michigan, pursuant to the powers vested in me by the Constitution of the state of Michigan of 1963, and the laws of the state of Michigan, do hereby establish the Michigan Water Quality Monitoring Advisory Board (Board) within the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

The Board shall consist of five individuals who have expertise in one or more of the following areas, including, but not limited to:

• Water Quality Monitoring and Ecological Risk Assessment
• Statistics and Experimental Design
• Aquatic and Mammalian Toxicology
• Chemistry
• Aquatic Biology
• Data Management, Quality Assurance, and Quality Control.

Members of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve for a term of four years, except that of the members first appointed:  one shall serve for a term of two years, two shall serve for a term of three years and two shall serve for a term of four years.  The Governor shall appoint one member of the Board as chairperson who shall serve as chairperson at the pleasure of the Governor.  Members of the Board may be reappointed.

The Board is charged with the following responsibilities:

1. Advise the Department on issues affecting the implementation of the Monitoring Strategy;
2. Advise the Department on the development of statistically sound sampling designs to collect various types of water quality data;
3. Advise the Department on appropriate methodologies for evaluating temporal and spatial water quality data;
4. Advise the Department on state-of-the-art data management and data communication techniques to ensure that water quality information is easily accessible and communicated in meaningful, understandable and timely ways to intended audiences; and
5. Review and comment on the annual monitoring plans prepared by the Department to implement the Monitoring Strategy.

Members of the Board shall not receive compensation, but members my receive reimbursement for necessary travel and expenses for the performance of Board functions, based on existing state rates.

All departments, boards, commissions or officers of the state or any political subdivision of the state shall give to the Board, or to any member or agent thereof, any necessary assistance required by the Board, or any agent of the Board, in the performance of the duties of the Board so far as is compatible with its, his or her duties; free access shall also be given to any books, records or documents in its, his or her custody, relating to matters within the scope of the inquiry, study or investigation of the Board.

The Board may adopt rules of procedure, not inconsistent with Michigan law and with this Executive Order, governing its organization and operations.  A majority of the serving members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting, notwithstanding the existence of one (1) or more vacancies.  Voting upon actions taken by the Board shall be conducted by a majority vote.

The Board shall annually report on its activities to the Governor or his designee.

The provisions of this Executive Order shall become effective upon filing.

Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the state of Michigan this 31st day of August, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Nine.

Related Links

• Advisory Board Annual Report
• List of Advisory Board Members

Meeting Agendas

• September 2001
• February 2002
• June 2002
• September 2002
• April 2003
• August 2003

Meeting Highlights

• September 2001
• February 2002
• June 2002
• September 2002
• April 2003
• August 2003