A complete list of all programs within the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
Community involvement and public participation are an essential part of EGLE’s mission, vision, and values.
Resources and information on utilizing RRD's data exchange and the Inventory of Facilities.
An interactive map displaying contaminated sites throughout Michigan regulated under Parts 213, 201, and 211.
EGLE's interactive calendar is designed to provide timely information on decisions before the Director, proposed settlements of contested cases, administrative rules promulgation, public hearings, meetings and comment deadlines, and environmental conferences, workshops and training programs.
The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides all persons (except persons incarcerated in correctional facilities) with access to public records of public bodies. Requests to inspect or receive public records from EGLE must be in writing and describe the requested records with enough detail to enable the department to identify and locate the requested records. Some records are exempt from disclosure under the FOIA or another statute and thus will not be provided. A fee may be charged to process your request. Please note that many records are available that do not require a formal FOIA request.
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
EGLE's Water Resources Division (WRD) is requesting that shoreline property owners remove sandbags that were placed along the shoreline during the Great Lakes High Water Levels. EGLE will be contacting property owners over the next several weeks. Contact the EGLE staff that covers your county should you have any questions.
Great Lakes shorelines are always changing. Erosion is an expected and natural process along the Great Lakes. Water levels, wave action, the local geology, and plants impact how shorelines erode. People love living on the shoreline yet sometimes their homes are too close to the edge of a bluff. When shoreline conditions change the bluff those homes may be in danger of falling into the lake.
The High-Risk Erosion Area Program identifies those shorelines receding at an average annual rate of one foot per year or greater over a minimum period of 15 years. Along these shorelines, new structures are required to meet setbacks for their protection from a changing shoreline. When structures are not in danger the shoreline does not need to be altered to protect the structure. The shoreline and people can adapt to the changeable conditions of the Great Lakes.
HREAs are regulated by the Administrative Rules of Part 323, Shorelands Protection and Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended.
Information on specific sites:
District Permit Staff
A permit is required for construction of a structure on any portion of a designated High-Risk Erosion Area parcel regardless of how far the project is from the lakeshore. Common activities requiring a permit include construction of a house, garage, or addition, substantial reconstruction of an existing home, the installation of a septic system, covered porches, or a commercial building. View the list of common activities needing a permit. The application for a permit requires a fee of between $50 and $500.
Local units of government may choose to administer the high-risk erosion area program through their local zoning ordinance. Currently EGLE administers Part 323 in all HREAs except for those in Pere Marquette Township in Mason County. Contact the local zoning administrator for permit information.
Applications for individual permits are submitted through MiEnviro Portal. Additional information about the application process is available at EGLE/USACE Joint Permit Application. Once a permit application is received, EGLE staff review the application and visit the project site to assess the proposed location of the structure(s) from the shoreline. The status of all permit applications may be tracked at MiEnviro Portal. A valid permit may be transferred to a new property owner with the written permission of the current permittee. A request to transfer a permit is submitted in MiEnviro Portal.
Every application must include a completed online form, property owner authorization, property location, and a permit from the local health department if proposing a new or replacement septic system. Also, the proposed and existing structures must be identified on the site plan and cross-section. Read the Frequently Asked Questions about Great Lakes Shoreline Erosion to determine which setback you need to meet and where on the shoreline to measure setbacks from.
If you are applying for a permit, you must submit a site plan, and cross-section showing the type of foundation, with your application. Look at the following examples to ensure all the necessary information is included on your plans before submitting them with your application.
