EGLE awards 27 grants for stream cleanups

EGLE awards 27 grants to conduct stream cleanups and monitoring through MiCorps program

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) today announced $75,000 in grants to 27 local governments and nonprofit organizations for stream cleanup and monitoring through the Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) Program. These annual grants help foster local stewardship and a sense of community while providing valuable data used to protect Michigan’s waters.

The MiCorps Volunteer Stream Cleanup Program provides grants to local units of government to clean and improve Michigan waterways. Local governments often partner with nonprofits or other volunteer groups for the cleanups, which include removal of trash and other manmade debris from streams and stream banks.

The cleanup grant program began in 1998 and is funded by fees from the sale of Michigan’s specialty water quality protection license plates, available from the Secretary of State’s Office.

 The organizations selected to receive cleanup funding in 2021 are:

• Benzie Conservation District: $750.20
• Clinton Conservation District: $1,400.00
• City of Ecorse: $2,545.00
• Genesee County Parks: $4,300.00
• Grand Traverse Conservation District: $1,730.00
• Missaukee Conservation District: $4,547.71
• St. Joseph Conservation District: $2,155.00

The MiCorps Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program provides grants to enable local governments and nonprofits to conduct volunteer-based water quality and stream habitat monitoring through benthic macroinvertebrate surveys and habitat assessments. Three types of monitoring grants are available. Startup grants get groups started with learning and planning, implementation grants fund the first two years of official monitoring and maintenance grants help groups that are already monitoring to replace equipment and continue their programs.

The organizations selected to receive funding in 2021 are:

Startup Grants

• Detroit Zoological Society: $4,247.43
• Eaton County Conservation District: $4,965.01
• Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds: $4,975.53

Implementation Grant

• Berrien Conservation District: $13,048.02

Maintenance Grants:

• AuSable Institute: $1,354.50
• Benzie Conservation District: $2,000.00
• Flint River Watershed Coalition: $1,920.00
• Friends of the St. Clair River: $2,000.00
• Friends of the Rouge: $1,963.37
• Grass River Natural Area: $1,999.20
• Kalamazoo Nature Center: $2,000.00
• Little Forks Conservancy: $1,974.53
• Macatawa Area Coordinating Council: $1,876.25
• Manistee Conservation District: $2,000.00
• Missaukee Conservation District: $2,000.00
• Muskegon River Watershed Assembly: $1,999.83
• St. Joseph County Conservation District: $1,583.25
• Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council: $2,000.00
• Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay: $2,000.00
• White River Watershed Partnership: $1,606.00

MiCorps was established in 2004 by EGLE to engage the public in collecting water quality data for use in water resources management and protection programs. MiCorps is administered for EGLE by Michigan State University, in partnership with the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association and Huron River Watershed Council.

Questions about the grant award process should be directed to Dr. Paul Steen, Huron River Watershed Council, at 734-769-5123, extension 601, or [email protected]; or Tamara Lipsey, Lake Michigan Unit, Surface Water Assessment Section, Water Resources Division, EGLE, at 517-342-4372 or [email protected].