Mt. Pleasant Workshop To Help Develop Watershed-based Plans

The Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and Tetra Tech, Inc. are sponsoring a "Watershed- Based Planning Workshop," Monday, February 12, at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Mount Pleasant.

The workshop is designed to assist efforts for addressing the challenges posed to Michigan's waters by nonpoint source pollution, urban stormwater, and impacts from wastewater treatment plants.

The importance of basin-wide management has been underlined by recent guidance from the USEPA and the DEQ, which calls for watershed-based plans for all projects supported by competitive funding from the Clean Water Act. This workshop will examine the watershed planning process and the product, focusing on how the USEPA's Nine Minimum Elements fit into the overall watershed planning process.

This workshop is open to the public and is intended for watershed group members and managers, public agency staff, planners, consultants, and others active in the water resources planning field.

The registration fee of $25 includes lunch, refreshments, and workshop materials. Register online at www.michigan.gov/deqworkshops (click on "Upcoming DEQ Workshops"). For registration information, contact the Environmental Assistance Center at (800) 662-9278.