Vol. 9, No. 19

October 4, 2004

SEMCOG launches third step in water quality public education campaign

A recent survey by SEMCOG showed that 43 percent of Southeast Michigan residents don't know where their stormwater goes after it enters the storm drain or roadside ditch. To help residents make this connection, SEMCOG and the Southeast Michigan Partners for Clean Water encourage local governments and residents to "Help keep pollution out of storm drains." This is the third tip in an ongoing public education campaign aimed at improving water quality in the seven-county Southeast Michigan region.

Storm drains and roadside ditches lead to our lakes and streams. Therefore, any oil, pet waste, leaves, or dirty water from washing cars or other outside activities that enters a storm drain gets into the region's lakes and streams . . . untreated.

What can individuals do? Following one or more of these simple tips can help keep our water clean.

  • Sweep it. Is there extra fertilizer, grass clippings, or dirt on your driveway? Sweep it back onto your lawn. Hosing your driveway sends these pollutants into storm drains that lead to our lakes and rivers.
  • Keep it clean. Whether in the street or in your yard, remember to keep leaves, grass clippings, trash, and fertilizers away from storm drains.
  • Only rain in the drain. Never dump motor oil, chemicals, pet waste, dirty or soapy water, or anything else down the storm drain. Once down the storm drain, all of these materials pollute our lakes and streams.
  • Label it. Volunteer to label storm drains in your neighborhood to inform residents that these drains flow directly to our lakes and streams. Encourage friends and neighbors to contact their local community for more information on storm drain stencilling programs.

Posters and tip cards on keeping pollution out of storm drains will be mailed to SEMCOG member governments. Materials and additional information can also be found on SEMCOG's Web site — www.semcog.org. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.

 

Water quality survey results released

A water quality public education survey was recently completed for SEMCOG and the Southeast Michigan Partners for Clean Water. Overall, the survey indicated that residents are concerned about the quality of the region's water resources. Here are a few of the results, based on 3,720 responses:

  • 85% agreed or strongly agreed that the quality of local streams affect the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair;
  • 84% do not change motor oil, transmission fluid, or perform other vehicle maintenance at home;
  • of those who have a dog, 84% pick up their dog's waste when going for a walk;
  • 75% participate in activities near lakes or streams;
  • nearly 75% take their vehicles to the car wash;
  • 66% use a community collection day to dispose of their household hazardous waste; 16% throw it out with the regular trash;
  • 64% think that the quality of rivers, lakes, and streams in their communities is the same or worse than in the past;
  • 62% realize that the way they care for their lawn and home affects the quality of lakes and streams;
  • 43% don't know where their stormwater goes after it enters the storm drain or roadside ditch.

Survey results will help SEMCOG and the Southeast Michigan Partners for Clean Water hone the messages in the ongoing public education campaign aimed at improving water quality in the region and will serve as a benchmark in evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Contact: Amy Mangus, Senior Planner, SEMCOG Environmental Programs.

 

Executive Committee meeting highlights

SEMCOG's Executive Committee met on Friday, September 24, 2004, in SEMCOG's downtown Detroit office. The 2030 Regional Transportation Plan for Southeast Michigan was approved for adoption by SEMCOG's General Assembly. The plan is defined by broad-based policies, specific initiatives, and more than $41 billion in transportation projects for FY 2005-2030. There was considerable discussion about the proposed widening of I-75 in Oakland County and the need to improve transit. The Executive Committee directed SEMCOG to identify and address the impediments to transit and suggest policy changes at the state and federal level. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Legislative Affairs Coordinator.

 

Vehicle-deer crashes on the rise in region

There were 6,641 vehicle-deer crashes in Southeast Michigan in 2003 (up from 6,094 in 2002 and 6,451 in 2001), according to figures released by SEMCOG based on crash data received from the Michigan Department of State Police, Criminal Justice Information Center. Vehicle-deer crashes represented 3.9 percent of all crashes in 2003 (171,105).

Oakland County had the most vehicle-deer crashes in the seven-county SEMCOG region (1,761; 3.6 percent) and ranked fifth in Michigan. Rochester Hills, with 178 crashes involving deer, had the highest total among Southeast Michigan communities (up from 147 in 2002). In Livingston County, 23 percent of all crashes involved a deer.
Deer crashes are more prevalent now for a couple of reasons æ a statewide herd four times larger than in 1970 and 10 times larger in Southeast Michigan and rapid development in previously rural areas.

SEMCOG is a member of the Michigan Deer Crash Coalition (MDCC), working to decrease vehicle-deer crashes. The MDCC Web site provides access to statewide vehicle-deer crash resources, and includes updates on current issues, resources, deer-vehicle crash data, news releases, and a calendar of activity. Access the site through SEMCOG's Web site — www.semcog.org. Contact: Tom Bruff, SEMCOG Transportation Programs Coordinator.

 

Unusual Ozone Action season ends

Southeast Michigan's Ozone Action season ended on September 30 with the lowest number of Ozone Action days called since the program's inception in 1994. The only Ozone Action day this season occurred on June 8. Conditions since then were not conducive to the formation of excessive ground-level ozone. Upper air patterns circulating out of the west and northwest kept air cleaner and cooler. In addition, the summer's frequent rain and cooler temperatures (there were only three days in the 90s) played a role in keeping ozone levels from becoming unhealthy. Until this year, the lowest number of Ozone Action days was four in 2000; the highest was 25 in 1999. Contact: Anita Blasius, SEMCOG Public Outreach Manager.

 

SEMCOG releases annual report on population and households in region

Southeast Michigan's population and households grew steadily from the 2000 Census through July 1, 2004, according to Population and Households in Southeast Michigan, 2000-2004. SEMCOG estimates that the region grew nearly 1.5 percent in population during the past four years. Southeast Michigan gained 66,000 persons, bringing the region's total to 4,899,748. Households grew slightly faster, adding 57,000 (a 3.1 percent increase), bringing the region's total number of households to 1,901,723. The number of people in each household continues to decline, from 2.58 persons in April 2000 to 2.53 persons in July 2004.

Copies of this report are available from SEMCOG Information Services for $20. It can also be downloaded in PDF format from SEMCOG's Web site — www.semcog.org. SEMCOG updates population data on its Web site monthly; link to these estimates directly from the home page. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.


SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of governmental units serving 4.9 million people in the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan striving to enhance the region's quality of life.  Regional Update is a publication of SEMCOG, financed through funds from state and federal grants and dues from member communities.

Joan Flynn, Chairperson
Commissioner, Macomb County
Paul E. Tait, Executive Director 
Susan L. Stetler, Editor 

SEMCOG contact information: 
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
535 Griswold Street, Suite 300 Detroit, MI 48226-3602
313-961-4266 - Fax 313-961-4869
staff e-mail:lastname@semcog.org
 www.semcog.org 

Read past issues of SEMCOG's Regional Update

Local Governments Advancing Southeast Michigan