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SEMCOG offers municipal training for clean water in February Local governments have the opportunity to protect the region's water resources while landscaping. SEMCOG will offer Municipal Operations for Clean Water: Landscaping Practices on the following days and at the following locations:
Training on maintaining municipally owned property is another requirement of the federal Phase II Stormwater Regulations. Over 160 communities in Southeast Michigan, including most SEMCOG members, that operate a separate stormwater drainage system, are required to obtain a stormwater permit. This municipal training will address the many issues of landscaping practices, including controls to reduce discharge of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. The workshop will be helpful to supervisors and staff of municipal departments (including municipal contractors) that have concerns or are interested in riparian buffers (no mow zones/grow zones), native landscaping, soil testing/fertilizing, and integrated pest management techniques. There is no cost for this workshop, but registration is required. You can register online at www.semcog.org. Find the link to the workshop under Planning Issues on the home page. Contact: Ken Bishop, Administrative Assistant, Environmental Programs.
The Winter issue of SEMscope, SEMCOG's quarterly magazine, has been mailed. The entire issue is devoted to transportation funding. Anyone interested in better understanding our region’s transportation system needs to read this issue. There are many tough questions concerning transportation funding; this issue provides the answers. We encourage you to share this issue with citizens. Please contact us for additional copies to be displayed at city hall, local libraries, or schools. It is also available in PDF on www.semcog.org. Additionally, we are interested in your feedback; to do that, please visit www.semcog.org. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
View highlights of Executive Committee on SEMCOG's Web site Highlights of SEMCOG's January 19 Executive Committee can now be viewed on www.semcog.org. From the home page, link to News & Notices in the upper bar, then look for the link in the right column. Highlights include, a presentation on the United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s 2-1-1 call system (the multilingual hotline that links callers either looking to get help or give help) by President and CEO, Michael Brennan; remarks by Nancy Barbour and Jody Vanderveen of Dykema, SEMCOG’s lobbyist, on what to expect from the federal and state legislature in the coming session; and comments from SEMCOG Executive Director Paul Tait. SEMCOG’s federal legislative issues for 2007-08 include increasing federal funding for Southeast Michigan roads, bridges, and transit; increasing flexibility for local governments in complying with water quality protection requirements; and increasing funding for the federal Community Development Block Grant program. Priority state issues include securing long-term and stable financing sources to address future transportation needs, seeking funding to continue and sustain the brownfield program, maintaining and enhancing local government decision-making, and providing additional tax credit and incentives to enhance availability of affordable housing. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services for a copy of the entire 2007 Legislative Policy Platform or view it at www.semcog.org.
Lodge closure prompts Commuter Challenge Major construction on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit will prompt its complete closure beginning on February 3. The Michigan Department of Transportation will begin the closure by shutting down the Lodge between 8 Mile and I-94. Complete closure between Lasher Road and the Davison will occur in late April or early May. The Lodge is expected to remain closed through November 2007. SEMCOG encourages commuters to “Dodge the Lodge” by:
Commuter Challenge 2007 will take place between February 26 and March 9. Commuters who use an alternate form of transportation for work can earn points for themselves and their company. The more points accumulated, the better the chances of winning great prizes. The goal of the Commuter Challenge is to alleviate traffic in order to maintain the viability of area businesses, improve safety, and introduce area commuters to an alternative way of getting to work. Look for SEMCOG’s Commuter Challenge display at this year’s Detroit’s Winter Blast, February 9-11. Displays are also available for SEMCOG members; consider placing one in a public area of your community. Additional information on “Dodge the Lodge” is available at www.semcog.org. Contact: Iris Steinberg, SEMCOG Outreach Specialist.
2007 recreation grants available; grant workshops scheduled for February 2 and 8 Application materials are currently available from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF). MNRTF grants are available to local units of government for development of public outdoor recreation facilities and acquisition of land for outdoor and/or resource protection. MNRTF grants require a minimum 25 percent local match. Between $25 million and $35 million in MNRTF assistance is available annually. Applications for these grants are due April 2, 2007. To be eligible for a grant, local units of government must have a current five-year recreation plan on file at DNR prior to the application deadline. DNR officials will hold the following workshops to assist communities in preparing grant applications:
Topics will include applicant and project eligibility, distribution of funds, preparing applications and attachments, project selection, and grantee obligations. A review of the 2007 recreation grant application for the MNRTF will be provided. DNR staff will be available to answer questions. The workshops are free; preregistration is not necessary. Contact: DNR Grants Management, (517) 373-9125 or www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants.
2007 water quality grants available The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Environmental Science and Services Division (ESSD) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for water quality grants. Approximately $2.9 million from federal funding and $1.9 million of Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) funding will be available this grant cycle. Completed proposals are due to ESSD on February 16, 2007. Contact: DEQ’s Environmental Science and Services Division, (517) 373-9540 or www.michigan.gov/deq.
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