|
DEQ
FORCED TO CUT ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
YOUR
HELP IS NEEDED!!! THE PUBLIC
MUST SPEAK UP TO PREVENT A PROPOSAL TO REDUCE DEQ PERMIT
REVIEWS FOR INLAND
LAKES AND
STREAMS!
As most of you
know, the DEQ’s budget has been slashed repeatedly over the past few
years. Budget cuts and subsequent staff reductions threaten to
reduce the DEQ’s ability to uphold the public trust and protect our
natural resources.
One immediate
consequence of this affects the permit review process, which uses
professional and knowledgeable agency staff. This process includes
assessment of impacts from proposed activities, and allows the least
damaging alternatives to be identified and exercised. Such
review is essential to ensure protection of our valuable water
resources.
Unfortunately,
given their dire lack of funding, DEQ is proposing to suspend
environmental review for certain activities on inland lakes and
streams, if environmental review and authorization can be provided by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As such, DEQ has issued a
Public Notice for a Temporary General Permit for Specified Minor
Activities Authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Lakes
and Streams.
In some cases,
Michigan’s
waterways suffered substantial environmental impacts from large
projects. However, the vast majority suffer from numerous
“minor” activities that ultimately create substantial cumulative
impacts, akin to “death by a thousand cuts”. Removal of review
by the DEQ for certain activities will surely result in additional
degradation and destruction of our water resources, because this
General Permit will provide an institutional “rubber stamp” on
projects that would otherwise be reviewed.
Please take a
moment to review this notice and comment directly to DEQ. The notice and information on how
to comment is below!
It
is also VITAL that your voice be heard by the Michigan
Legislature and the Governor, who hold a responsibility to the
citizens of Michigan
to ensure that programs providing essential protections to our water
resources have adequate funding.
LAND AND
WATER MANAGEMENT DIVISION DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING
PROPOSED TEMPORARY GENERAL PERMIT FOR DESIGNATED MINOR ACTIVITIES
AUTHORIZED BY THE U.S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS IN LAKES AND STREAMS.
Pursuant to
Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams; and Part 303, Wetlands
Protection; of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, the MDEQ’s Land and Water Management
Division is proposing to issue a Temporary General Permit (GP) to
authorize certain minor activities in inland lakes and streams and
Great Lakes connecting channels, where the activity is authorized by
the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE).
Parts 301 and
303 authorize the issuance of GPs for categories of activities that
are similar in nature, will cause only minimal adverse environmental
effects when performed separately, and will have only minimal
cumulative adverse effect on the environment. The MDEQ and the USACE
have distinct but parallel responsibilities for regulation of dredge
and fill activities in certain waters in Michigan under respective state
and federal laws. The MDEQ is proposing to limit staff review of
specified categories of these regulated activities on a temporary basis,
where environmental review and authorization can be provided by the
USACE. If this GP is approved, permit applications that meet
specified conditions and criteria in the waters defined in the GP
will typically receive automatic approval without significant review
by MDEQ staff contingent upon approval by the USACE. This measure
will allow remaining staff time to be used to address other
regulatory requirements and is made necessary by reductions in the
Land and Water Management Division budget. When the Temporary GP
expires after a two year period, the impact of this action on the
environment and on the regulated public will be evaluated.
The detailed
draft GP can be found at www.michigan.gov/deqinlandlakes,
or may be requested from the address given below. Written comments
should be submitted directly to: Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality, Land and Water Management Division, P.O. Box 30458, Lansing,
MI 48909-7958
to the attention of Peg Bostwick. All comments must be received by
Wednesday, May 28, 2008. Information contact: Peg Bostwick, Land and
Water Management Division, 517-335-3470.
|
