Inside 208

A high water town hall webinar has been scheduled for March 26, the first community outreach event organized by the ad hoc Michigan High Water Action Team, which was formed during the Michigan High Water Coordinating Summit in February. Attendees may register here.  The webinar will feature staff from the...

Last week, the Michigan Municipal League joined state agencies, emergency managers, local governments at the Michigan High Waters Coordinating Summit in Lansing. The summit, convened by Gov. Whitmer and the Department of Great Lakes Energy and Environment, addressed the current high waters crisis and both provided education on the climate...

In addition to the League's official media statement in response to the Governor's budget presentation yesterday, here are some of the more critical details for League member communities: The Governor's Fiscal Year 2020-21 budget utilizes $11 billion in General Fund dollars, just barely higher than the $10.7 billion spent in...

The Michigan Municipal League has secured a hearing in the House Appropriation Sub-Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Quality to highlight the devastating impact of shoreline erosion and high waters on Michigan’s coastal communities. The hearing, scheduled for Thursday, January 23rd at 10:30 a.m., and located at the Anderson House...

With the voting this week, the Legislature officially wrapped up their activity for the year and reached the halfway point of the 2019-2020 legislative term.  The House and Senate are now on recess until January 8th.  All bills introduced in 2019 continue to remain eligible for action until the end...

As expected, following the Legislature’s movement of budget bills that the Administration had not signed off on, Governor Whitmer responded aggressively to the legislative spending proposal by issuing 147 separate line items vetoes within the 16 departmental budget bills she signed.  Signing the bills allowed her to avoid a state government...

EGLE has provided stakeholders with the initial draft for Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL) regulations for PFAS contaminates based on input received this summer. These draft regulations advise on the best technologies available to mitigate PFAS along with added public notice requirements, new PFAS MCLs, sampling requirements and compliance requirements for...

With the new state fiscal year only a month away, the lack of a budget deal is consuming discussions in Lansing.  The Governor’s budget closely intertwines the state budget with the need for an additional $2.5 billion investment our road networks.  Legislative leaders have spent the summer developing their own...

Today, August 29 at 1pm, EGLE will be hosting a webinar on water resource protection for municipal and county leaders. Many activities at or near a waterbody — like a stream, lake, or wetland — require a permit from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Residents...

The Great Lakes are a wonderful asset to the State of Michigan.  They provide great vistas and beaches to help bolster tourism in the State.  Unfortunately, these same Great Lakes can wreak havoc when their water levels are higher than ever, as they are now.  They are going to continue...