Environmental Permits, Licenses, and Certifications

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is a regulatory agency.  Its purpose is environmental protection, which is facilitated through the use of the permitting function. Permits are issued for various reasons by a number of different divisions within DEQ. The "Type of Permit Actions" below identifies the type of permit issued; it is fairly accurate in describing the actual permit subject. In order for the item to be listed as a permit in this table, it needed to possess the following specific characteristics:

1. It had to be required by statute;
2. Its issuance had to give authority to conduct a specific activity, and
3. DEQ had to provide a decision based on established criteria.

Other Resources: 

• General Environmental Permit Information Checklist  

• Permit Information Checklist for Light House Restoration and Operation 

• Permit Information Checklist for Schools 

• DEQ Calendar - Public Hearings and Meetings
• Public Involvement Handbook - Improve your input into DEQ Permit Processes
• DEQ Site Registry - The Site Registry is a geographically-based site that presents information about locations of interest to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This site contains information on completed cleanups and past operations as well as data on current operations and activities. Additional locations and compliance data from additional DEQ databases will be added as resources become available.  

Part 13 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA) prescribes time lines for the DEQ to process certain types of NREPA permits.  The DEQ issues an annual report of the actual time used in processing these applications.

• 2009 Part 13 Annual Report 
• 2008 Part 13 Annual Report 
• 2007 Part 13 Annual Report