2022 Integrated Report approved by U.S. EPA
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the 2022 Section 303(d) list in June, following Michigan's submittal of the biennial federal Clean Water Act (CWA) Sections 303(d), 305(b), and 314 Integrated Report.
The CWA requires Michigan to prepare a biennial report on the quality of its water resources as the principal means of conveying water quality protection/monitoring information to the EPA and the United States Congress. The Integrated Report satisfies the listing requirements of Section 303(d) and the reporting requirements of Sections 305(b) and 314 of the CWA. The Section 303(d) list includes Michigan water bodies that are not attaining one or more designated uses and require the establishment of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) to meet and maintain Water Quality Standards.
The 2022 Integrated Report was open for public comment in February through March 2022. Public comments were addressed and changes were made to the Integrated Report, as necessary, based on these comments (summarized in Chapter 9, and Appendix E). The 2022 Integrated Report can be found on the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Integrated Report Web site, with appendices available upon request.
For additional information, please contact Kevin Goodwin at goodwink@michigan.gov.
Statewide Mercury, PCB and E. coli TMDL Addenda approved by U.S. EPA
The Statewide Mercury, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), and E. coli TMDLs were approved by the EPA in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, and were designed to be expanded as new water quality data become available. The 2022 addenda to these TMDLs, as well as the Bean Creek, River Raisin, South Branch River Raisin, and Luna Pier E. coli TMDLs have been approved by EPA. Each of the addenda contain information on water bodies being added to the TMDL, as well as justifications for removing water bodies from the TMDL.
EGLE is committed to monitoring the quality of Michigan's surface waters and protecting public health from pathogens and bioaccumulative contaminants such as mercury and PCBs.
The 2022 addenda make the following changes (please see the below web sites for more information):
- Seventy-five new water bodies have been added to the Statewide Mercury TMDL.
- Three new water bodies have been added to the Statewide PCB TMDL.
- The addendum to Statewide E. coli TMDL included 167 new water bodies (including 8 beaches).
For additional information, please contact Gary Kohlhepp at kohlheppg@michigan.gov