A complete list of all programs within the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)
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.
The shorelands of the Great Lakes are adjacent to the water’s edge and beach. These areas are very dynamic as they respond to wind, waves, water levels, storms, and development. Proposed activities on the shorelands of the Great Lakes are regulated by several Michigan laws codified in the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 Public Act 451, as amended (NREPA). Part 323, Shorelands Protection and Management, identifies the threats to people from the natural hazards of coastal erosion and flooding. Part 323 also protects specific areas of coastal wetlands known as environmental areas. Other NREPA laws which may regulate resources near shorelands include Part 325, Great Lakes Submerged Lands, and Part 353, Sand Dunes Protection and Management.
The shorelines of the Great Lakes are a dynamic and quickly changing environment. A high risk of losing a structure due to erosion has been identified on specific shorelines around the state.
Michigan has 3,288 miles of Great Lake shoreline - the longest freshwater coastline in the world. Of this total, 1,056 miles are the shorelines of islands.
Michigan’s coast is made up of several types of shorelines because of the local geology. Each shoreline type is home to a variety of natural communities, recreation opportunities, and scenic views.
One of the most interesting aspects of Michigan’s shorelands is that they are constantly changing. Waves, wind, currents, ice, and the actions of people are constantly moving sand, gravel, and clay soils onto and off the shoreline causing both buildup (accretion) and erosion. The water levels of the Great Lakes change over short and long periods of time. During a low water period large beaches form and wetland vegetation may expand, during high water periods beaches and dunes erode and bluffs may fall into the lake. By giving our coasts the space to change, we can protect our shorelands for generations to come.
