Fourteen communities around Michigan are getting state grants to host river, stream and creek cleanup activities. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy timed the awards totaling more than $29,000 to coincide with Earth Day. Local governments often work with nonprofit organizations or other volunteers for the cleanups, which include removal of trash and other debris from streams and stream banks.
The grant program began in 1998 and is funded with money from the sale of the state’s water quality protection license plates. Grants are administered by the Great Lakes Commission. Here is the list of this year’s recipients:
Huron River Watershed Council, “Huron River Coordinated Cleanups” – $4,864
Alliance of Rouge Communities, “Rouge Rescue River Cleanup” – $4,500
Marquette County Conservation District, “Whetstone Brook Cleanup” – $2,400
St. Joseph County Conservation District, “River Country Clean Up 2019” – $2,247.50
Grand Traverse Conservation District, “15th Annual Boardman River Clean Sweep – 2019” – $2,180
Shiawassee County Health Department, “24th Annual Shiawassee River Cleanup” – $2,000
City of Monroe, “2019 River Raisin Cleanup” – $1,830
Lake Superior State University’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education, “Ashmun Creek Cleanup” – $1,614.50
Gladwin Conservation District, “Cedar River Cleanup 2019” – $1,537
City of Ecorse, “First Annual Ecorse Creek Cleanup” – $1,475
City of Petoskey Department of Parks and Recreation, “Healing the Bear – Bear River Cleanup” – $1,406
Michigan State University Landscape Services, “MSU Red Cedar River Cleanup Phase 1” – $1,250
Village of Estral Beach, “2019 Swan Creek Cleanup” – $1,131.95
Benzie Conservation District, “Betsie and Platte River Clean Sweeps” – $980
The Associated Press contributed to this report
