02-11-2005, 03:37 AM
Adopt-A-Watershed legislation
[url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Kevin%20Elliott&-nothing"]Kevin Elliott[/url]![[Image: z.gif]](http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/images/z.gif)
February 02, 2005 - A trio of state senators has proposed a volunteer program that would protect Michigan's waters while reducing time and money spent by local governments and organizations addressing water quality issues.
The proposed program, named the Adopt-A-Watershed Program, would be administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and would coordinate efforts by the department and volunteer groups throughout the state.
A watershed is an area of land that captures rain or snowmelt and eventually drains it into a lake, river or stream. There are five major river watersheds in Oakland county, including the Clinton, Huron, Flint, Shiawassee and Rouge. Each is made up of several smaller, sub-watersheds.
State lawmakers are hoping that by using a watershed-management approach to maintaining the state's water resources, Michigan can prevent and correct pollution and other problems at their source. Watershed management is also one aspect of meeting requirements set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to comply with the nation's Clean Water Act provisions.
The Adopt-A-Watershed Program was proposed under Senate Bill 70, introduced in the state Senate on Tuesday, Jan. 25 by Sens. Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck), Jason Allen (R-Traverse City) and Mike Goschka (R-Brant).
According to DEQ spokesman Robert McCann, the DEQ supports creation of the program; however, he said there are some concerns about funding the proposed program.
"There would be some implementation that we would have to do," McCann said. "The bill establishes the parameters, but doesn't specify the scope of activity that would be required from us, so we are not exactly sure what the budget implications would be for (the DEQ)."
Additionally, McCann said the program may conflict with some existing programs, such as the volunteer Stream Cleanup Program, the volunteer Monitoring Program that is part of the Clean Michigan Initiative, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP).
"We would have a way to roll (the program) out pretty easily through existing volunteer programs, but it isn't perfectly clear what would be expected from the DEQ, so it's hard to say what exact work would be required from us."
According to the legislation to establish the program, the DEQ would provide volunteer groups with funding; support personnel; environmental testing and monitoring equipment; signs identifying the watershed and volunteer group that adopts a watershed; training materials and other educational and promotional materials.
The DEQ would be permitted to seek funding to administer the program from the EPA and other federal and state sources.
The DEQ would also be required to provide volunteer groups with information sheets to record the specific location of the watershed; wildlife in the watershed; the group's environmental testing and monitoring activities; volunteer clean-up, pollution prevention and conservation activities; and other information to assist the department in administering the program.
Information provided by volunteer groups would then be sent to the DEQ, which would then provide annual reports to the Legislature and governor about the status of the program. The report would also be available to the public and would be posted to the department's Web site.
Kevin Elliott is a staff writer for the Spinal Column Newsweekly
[signature]
[url "http://www.spinalcolumnonline.com/1editorialtablebody.lasso?-token.searchtype=authorroutine&-token.lpsearchstring=Kevin%20Elliott&-nothing"]Kevin Elliott[/url]
February 02, 2005 - A trio of state senators has proposed a volunteer program that would protect Michigan's waters while reducing time and money spent by local governments and organizations addressing water quality issues.The proposed program, named the Adopt-A-Watershed Program, would be administered by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and would coordinate efforts by the department and volunteer groups throughout the state.
A watershed is an area of land that captures rain or snowmelt and eventually drains it into a lake, river or stream. There are five major river watersheds in Oakland county, including the Clinton, Huron, Flint, Shiawassee and Rouge. Each is made up of several smaller, sub-watersheds.
State lawmakers are hoping that by using a watershed-management approach to maintaining the state's water resources, Michigan can prevent and correct pollution and other problems at their source. Watershed management is also one aspect of meeting requirements set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to comply with the nation's Clean Water Act provisions.
The Adopt-A-Watershed Program was proposed under Senate Bill 70, introduced in the state Senate on Tuesday, Jan. 25 by Sens. Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck), Jason Allen (R-Traverse City) and Mike Goschka (R-Brant).
According to DEQ spokesman Robert McCann, the DEQ supports creation of the program; however, he said there are some concerns about funding the proposed program.
"There would be some implementation that we would have to do," McCann said. "The bill establishes the parameters, but doesn't specify the scope of activity that would be required from us, so we are not exactly sure what the budget implications would be for (the DEQ)."
Additionally, McCann said the program may conflict with some existing programs, such as the volunteer Stream Cleanup Program, the volunteer Monitoring Program that is part of the Clean Michigan Initiative, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program (CLMP).
"We would have a way to roll (the program) out pretty easily through existing volunteer programs, but it isn't perfectly clear what would be expected from the DEQ, so it's hard to say what exact work would be required from us."
According to the legislation to establish the program, the DEQ would provide volunteer groups with funding; support personnel; environmental testing and monitoring equipment; signs identifying the watershed and volunteer group that adopts a watershed; training materials and other educational and promotional materials.
The DEQ would be permitted to seek funding to administer the program from the EPA and other federal and state sources.
The DEQ would also be required to provide volunteer groups with information sheets to record the specific location of the watershed; wildlife in the watershed; the group's environmental testing and monitoring activities; volunteer clean-up, pollution prevention and conservation activities; and other information to assist the department in administering the program.
Information provided by volunteer groups would then be sent to the DEQ, which would then provide annual reports to the Legislature and governor about the status of the program. The report would also be available to the public and would be posted to the department's Web site.
Kevin Elliott is a staff writer for the Spinal Column Newsweekly
[signature]