Grants available for efforts to clean waters

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and Great Lakes Commission recently announced the availability of $25,000 for small grants to support local efforts to clean up Michigan rivers, streams and creeks.

Michigan’s Volunteer River, Stream, and Creek Cleanup Program provides grants to local units of government to help clean Michigan waterways. Local units of government may partner with nonprofit organizations or other volunteer groups to carry out the work.  A 25 percent minimum local match is required.

The program 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 application deadline is Feb. 20. The grant application package is available at www.glc.org/work/VRSCCP/apply. Applications are reviewed and assessed by the MDEQ and Great Lakes Commission, with final decisions anticipated in early May 2018.

To learn more about the grant program, contact Laura Kaminski, Great Lakes Commission, at 734?971-9135 or laurak@glc.org. Questions about the grant application process should be directed to Marcy Knoll Wilmes, Water Resources Division, MDEQ, at 517-342-4348 or knollm@michigan.gov.