CLMP in 2020 – Stay Tuned…

We received this message from EGLE on January 14, 2020: “MiCorps is a network of volunteer water quality monitoring programs in Michigan created by former Governor Granholm under Michigan Executive Order #2003-15 to assist the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) in collecting and sharing water quality data. Initial funding for the MiCorps program was provided through the Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) bond; however, due to the exhaustion of these CMI funds, MiCorps has dealt with uncertainty in the past few years while trying to find another long-term funding source.

EGLE is proud to announce that funding has been secured from Renew Michigan Initiative in order to create a new five-year contract for the MiCorps program. Due to the timing of acquiring this funding and the necessary transition to initiate a new contract, the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP) will not be able to be funded in 2020, but will return in 2021.

The CLMP and the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program (VSMP) will both be included in the new contract. MiCorps is excited to build on this fantastic program by updating the long-term database and website along with reinstating stream macroinvertebrate grants.

MiCorps would like to thank all the volunteers for your support of the program.”

A follow up from MLSA: The MiCorps partner organizations – other than EGLE – are exploring ways to maintain some limited volunteer lake monitoring during this transition year. We will be offering monitoring opportunities in 2020 but we only just receive this news from EGLE so we will announce our plans for this year as soon as possible.

Please stay tuned, we will have more information soon!

We want to meet with you! In each newsletter we will announce a date for a monthly virtual meeting that anyone can join with a link. We will have some general topics ready but really want to hear from you and allow you the time and space to network with other members. Feel free to “zoom” in with the camera and speakers on your computer or call in to the phone number provided.

This month we will be meeting on Friday, January 31st at 1:00PM EST to discuss:

Lake Monitoring and More

Connection details are below:

Join Zoom Meeting – https://zoom.us/j/103858565

Meeting ID: 103 858 565

Dial by your location

       +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

       +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 103 858 565

Our goal for 2020 and beyond is to make sure your membership dollars are working harder for our mission. In an effort to reallocate funds for the important work we all believe in, we have closed our Stanton office. We can still be reached at (989) 831-5100 and info@mlswa.org but our new mailing address is now:

Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, Inc

PO Box 19615

Kalamazoo, MI 49019

Wondering if you missed an opportunity to have an in-person meeting with us? Have no fear! Our board and staff will always be available to assist you and would be happy to set up a coffee shop meeting, a virtual meeting, or attend a larger meeting you may have planned throughout the year.

By: Paul J. Sniadecki, MLSA Board Director

EGLE (formerly DEQ) regulators want to revise how the environmental risk from spreading livestock waste on farms is evaluated as part of a new “draft” general permit for industrial scale agriculture businesses known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs that would, among other things, prohibit the application of manure on farm fields during three winter months.

Public comment was open through Dec. 18, 2019 on the proposed updates to the state’s general National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program for CAFOs. The last revisions to the NDPES Permit Program occurred in 2015 and applied to over 250 NDPES permitted farms in Michigan. Michigan has delegated authority from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue NPDES permits and the state says its proposed changes were developed with EPA input.

EGLE released its planned revisions in late October 2019. Farm industry advocates blasted the proposed changes, while environmental advocates say the new requirements are important measures that will protect water quality and improve public access to permit records.

In Michigan, waste from confined animal farms is usually stored in large lagoons and spread on fields as crop fertilizer. While that can help increase crop yield, it can also degrade water quality when nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen run off into lakes, streams, and rivers as well impact groundwater and wells.

There have been numerous discharges from land application of CAFO waste, especially during winter and this has raised concerns for regulators. Among the larger changes proposed is a ban on spreading CAFO manure in January, February, and March when the ground may be frozen and there is a higher risk of nutrients in the waste sliding into waterways rather than percolating into the soil. Some spreading could occur at the end of March with state regulatory approval.

One of the largest updates is the phasing-in of a screening tool that would replace a simple soil test for phosphorus levels when assessing the risk of manure application. The Michigan Phosphorus Risk Assessment (MPRA) would account for erosion, runoff potential, distance to surface water or a field edge, subsurface drainage, and vegetative buffers.

As of January 12, 2020, the draft version of the permit changes had not been updated to reflect any of the public comments received during December 2019. EGLE has set an April 1, 2020 target date for the implementation of the revised NDPES Permit Program. MLSA will continue to monitor this important matter for the riparians of our state.

The Michigan Waterfront Alliance (“MWA”) was created by officials of the Michigan Lakes & Streams Association, Inc. (“MLSA”) over 20 years ago as an adjunct organization to MLSA. For a variety of legal and other reasons, MWA was established to pursue lobbying and similar activities.

Regrettably, MLSA and MWA have lately had deep philosophical and other disagreements. You may have recently received an email communication from MWA via Scott Brown and Bob Frye regarding that dispute. Unfortunately, MWA has decided to “air its dirty laundry” in public. MLSA has not done so. Suffice it to say that there are always two sides to every dispute, and MLSA does not agree with many of the claims made in MWA’s recent email newsletter. 

MLSA will attempt to resolve its differences with MWA “within the family” and will not try to make a public spectacle out of any disagreements. 

Are you looking for a way to network with other lakes around Michigan? Join us for discussion on Facebook, we now have a MLSA member group! Follow the link: Michigan Lakes and Streams Members, click + Join Group, answer the membership questions, and standby for approval. See you there!