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.
SARA Title III establishes requirements regarding emergency planning and "Community Right-to-Know" reporting on hazardous and toxic chemicals for federal, state, local, and tribal governments, as well as regulated facilities.
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.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Water Well Viewer (WWV), is an interactive mapping system that displays water wells along with other information, such as wellhead protection areas, underground storage tanks, and sites of environmental contamination. Water well locations have been identified by address matching, the use of global positioning systems (GPS), and by legal descriptions.
This system allows water well drilling and pump installation contractors to submit water well records.
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.
Anyone wishing to formally serve legal documents upon the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), or its officers or employees, may do so by the following methods.
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July 14, 2026
Microplastics in abundance at Michigan lakes and beaches come from many different sources, including waste and manufacturing. Credit: EPA. Imagine a summer stroll beside Lake Superior. You grab a handful of sand, and as it runs through your fingers, you see something red that feels unlike the sand grains. Not sure what you saw, you grab another handful and let it slowly sift through your fingers, watching carefully as each grain falls to the beach below. As the sand stops pouring, small pieces of multicolored plastic remain in your hand.
Unfortunately, this scenario is all too real throughout Michigan and the Great Lakes. Plastics are found from the most remote to the most urban areas of the state. Plastic does not break down easily in the environment. When it does, it merely crumbles into smaller pieces called microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics. Microplastics also can be released during manufacturing (for example, “nurdles,” microbeads, or plastic in wastewater) or the use of plastic products (such as synthetic clothing and vehicle tires).
In one high-profile incident near Saugatuck on Jan. 27, 2026, a semitrailer that ran off the expressway during a winter storm spilled tons of white polystyrene nurdles along the roadway and wetlands along the Kalamazoo River (fortunately, few entered the river). Crews were able to recover much of the material after thawing snow and ice revealed the extent of the spill.
Microplastics are found in surface waters across Michigan including rivers and streams, inland lakes, and the Great Lakes as well as in flora and fauna across the Great Lakes including mussels, birds, fish, and algae.
A team from Great Lakes Environmental Center collects microplastics samples from a Michigan stream. Cross-team research within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is focusing on these tiny fragments and fibers and the many difficulties they present. Over the past two years, EGLE has ramped up its capacity to address microplastics with resources including new hires in the Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division (DWEHD) and Water Resources Division (WRD) at least partly dedicated to the issue.
The DWEHD, WRD, and EGLE's Office of the Great Lakes (OGL) are teaming up to fill in some of the knowledge gaps using a one-time state appropriation of $2 million for microplastics research from 2025-29. The partners’ plan has four major parts:
More information about the 2026 summit
Together, these steps are furthering Michigan’s understanding of the extent of microplastic contamination throughout the state and offering insights into prevention and innovative strategies to remedy existing contamination.
Microplastics are not going away anytime soon. In fact, global plastic production is expected to only increase in the coming years. The research, communications, and planning efforts of EGLE and others are imperative to staying fully prepared for the challenges ahead.
Adapted from an article by Eddie Kostelnik of EGLE in the 2025 Michigan State of the Great Lakes Report.
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Watch for spotted lanternfly this summer, squish it and report it
This conference is a one-of-a-kind event designed for sustainability professionals in business and government; environmental staff; Environmental, Health, and Safety staff; and community leaders.
Climate finance is public, private, and philanthropic funding for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase resilience, lower energy costs, and more.
Trailer tires degrade is as little as three to five years – even when not used. Recycle trailer tires no longer in good condition.
For Lakes Appreciation Month, EGLE staffers share their favorite Michigan inland lakes.
The monthly, hourlong webinars are designed to keep people informed about available programs, current research and emerging issues in the state and the Great Lakes region.
An Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been called for the 7-county southeast Michigan area on June 29 with another alert called for west Michigan on June 30.
Michigan’s dunes make up the largest freshwater sand dune system in the world.
As thousands of Michiganders head to lakes and rivers for the Independence Day holiday, state and local partners are reminding boaters and anglers that a few simple steps can help protect Michigan’s waters from harmful invasive species.
