Michigan Environmental Council

Michigan
Environmental Report

Volume 22 . Number 3
June 2004

PURPOSE
Founded in 1980, MEC is a coalition of over 60 environmental, public health, and faith-based organizations with nearly 200,000 individual members. For over 20 years, MEC has provided a voice at the State Capitol. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse of environmental information, MEC develops public policy, educates elected officials and the public, and provides training and support to member organizations.

SUBSCRIBE

OFFICERS

Chairperson
Chris Graham,
Michigan Natural Areas Council

Vice Chair
Vicki Levengood,
National Environmental Trust

Vice Chair
Terry Miller,
Lone Tree Council

Treasurer
Tom Leonard,
West Michigan Environmental Action Council

Secretary
Brian Imus,
PIRGIM

MEC STAFF

President
Lana Pollack

Policy Director
James Clift

Associate Director
Patrick Diehl

Land Programs Director
Conan Smith

Special Projects Coodinator
Brad Garmon

Office Manager
Judy Bearup

Member Services Director
Michele Scarborough

Policy Specialist
David Gard

Policy Advisor
Dave Dempsey

Communication & Development Associate
Amber Shinn

Environmental Campaign Coordinator
Wendi Tilden

ECCO Field Director
Stephanie Anderson

Land Programs Assistant
Ben Stupka

MER Design & Layout
Rose Homa

Governor signs directive to better protect small, public wetlands

Small wetlands areas on public land, often home to rare animal and plant species, will be better protected as Governor Granholm signed a new executive directive April 21 authorizing the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to act within 60 days to preserve these unique ecosystems.

The Governor signed Executive Directive 2004-4 as part of her efforts to honor Earth Day 2004. The directive was part of the Governor's Special Message to the Legislature delivered in January.

"Wetlands provide critical functions in our state, and we continue to lose them to encroaching development," Granholm said. "Our state has a proud history of strong wetlands protection, but we have up until this time failed to take the opportunity to protect some of the most biologically diverse wetlands in our state. This directive sets us back on course to protect these fragile places of natural beauty."

State environmental laws provide that DEQ may regulate certain small wetlands when it has determined that such wetlands are essential to the preservation of the natural resources of the state. In 1996, the Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI), then part of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), completed a survey of critical, non-contiguous wetlands.

According to the MNFI survey, at least 37 state rare animal species exist at 109 isolated wetland sites. In addition, some 113 rare plant species were found in 389 non-contiguous wetland areas. Nine of these species exist in Michigan only in isolated wetlands.

"Michigan citizens should be pleased to learn that for the first time in 25 years, government is finally taking steps to protect some of the most extraordinary wetlands that exist in Michigan," said DEQ Director Steve Chester.

Approximately 5% of Michigan's wetlands (271,534 acres out of a total of 5,583,400 acres of wetlands) are currently unregulated unless the DEQ or a local unit of government takes action to protect them.

Non-contiguous wetlands are those not connected to lakes or streams, more than 500 feet from a lake or stream, and more than 1,000 feet from the Great Lakes.