DEQ Comments Bill Creal, Chief Water Resources Division Water - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

DEQ Comments Bill Creal, Chief Water Resources Division

Water Resources • Protect and Monitor – 4 Great Lakes – 3,288 miles of Great Lakes shoreline – 11,000 inland lakes – 77,000 river miles – 5.5 million acres of wetlands For swimming, fishing, drinking water and aquatic ecosystems.

Director Dan Wyant • 3/14 Interview on “ Greening of the Great Lakes ” • Defining this as “The Year of Water” • Governor Snyder • Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Governors • November message on energy and the environment • Water Strategy – Water Quality, Water Use, Protection • DEQ Goals • Leaders in Environmental Stewardship • Full Partners in Economic Development • Excellent Customer Service

Budgets and Funding • State Budget – Current – FY14 • Federal Budget – Sequester – FY14

New initiatives and legislation: • Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) Grants/Loans • Dam Restoration/Removal Grants • Harbor Dredging

Recreational Harbor Dredging Bills SB 163 Natural resources; wetlands; permit exemptions for wetlands and inland lakes and streams; revise, and require more information from department justifying denial of any part 13 permits. SB 164 Appropriations; supplemental; funding for dredging of waterways. SB 214 Natural resources; funding; Michigan natural resources trust fund; modify allowable expenditures. SB 215 Watercraft; marinas; marina dredging loans; reestablish program. SB 218 Economic development; tax increment financing; sunset on water resource improvement tax increment finance authority; remove, and allow dredging. SB 229 Natural resources; funding; natural resources trust fund; clarify that money may be expended for dredging of harbors for use by recreational watercraft. SB 233 Natural resources; funding; natural resources trust fund; provide appropriations. Creates appropriation act. SB 243 Natural resources; funding; funds for dredging and breakwalls; establish. SB 252 Watercraft; marinas; marina dredging loan origination program; establish. Creates new act. SB 264 Natural resources; other; issuance of permits for dredging; modify procedure. HB 4106 Natural resources; funding; Michigan natural resources trust fund; dredging of Great Lakes harbors for use by recreational watercraft; clarify allowable use of funds. HB 4179 Economic development; tax increment financing; dredging of harbors; allow. HB 4197 Appropriations; supplemental; funding for dredging of waterways; provide for. HB 4328 Appropriations; other; executive recommendation; provide for omnibus bill. Creates appropriation act. HB 4398 Watercraft; marinas; dredging material from Great Lakes bottomlands determined to be largely sand; revise permit fee. HB 4400 Watercraft; marinas; dredging material from inland lakes and streams determined to be largely sand; revise fee. HB 4410 Watercraft; marinas; marina dredging loan origination program; establish. Creates new act.

Green Infrastructure Efforts and Initiatives • LID Manual • Detroit Permit Requirements • NPS Implementation Grants • GI Planning Grants

GI Planning Grants • Detroit River Combined Sewer Overflow Green Infrastructure Planning – SEMCOG • Wayne County Storm Water Green Infrastructure Planning - Wayne County • Washtenaw County Green Infrastructure Project – Huron River Watershed Council

Aquatic Invasive Species State Management Plan • Goal I: Prevent new introductions of AIS into Michigan waters. • Goal II: Limit the spread of established populations of AIS into uninfested waters of the state. • Goal III: Develop an early detection and rapid response program to address new AIS invasions. • Goal IV: Manage and control AIS to lessen the harmful ecological, economic, social and public health impacts resulting from infestation of AIS.

Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Council • Established by law in 2011 • Appointed members include State agencies, tribes, local government, industries, environmental groups, university, etc. • Objective- satisfy statutory requirements – Ballast water – AIS State Management Plan – Organisms in trade – Phragmites management – Program funding

Water Use Council • Called in response to Governor Rick Snyder's November special message on Energy and the Environment. • The group was selected to involve top water use stakeholders throughout Michigan (Environmental, Conservation, Agriculture, Business, and Utilities) • Continues the legacy of the 2003 and 2006 Water Conservation Advisory Councils, which planned and implemented the state's award-winning water withdrawal assessment process

Enbridge Oil Spill

Questions? Thanks!