News by Topics - Michigan

EPA and Partners Announce Projects to Clean Up Detroit Area Waterways

Multiple cleanups around Detroit, including Monguagon Creek, Harbortown and Lower Rouge River’s Old Channel, will help restore the Detroit and Rouge Rivers. EPA and partners have already addressed about 400,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and restored more than 320 acres of habitat within the Detroit River AOC.

June 12, 2026

GLRI Funding Supports $1.6 Million in Grants to Benefit Communities and Habitat in Southeast Michigan

The grants, awarded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, will restore and reconnect streams and floodplains, expand tree canopy and improve access to natural areas. The grants will also leverage more than $1.6 million in matching contributions to generate a total conservation impact of more than $3.2 million.

June 11, 2026

EPA Resumes Contaminated Sediment Cleanup in Detroit’s Lower Rouge River Old Channel

On March 30, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resumed dredging contaminated sediment from the Lower Rouge River Old Channel in Detroit, Michigan. More than 100,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with coal tar and petroleum products will be remediated.

April 2, 2026

Increasing Habitat and Supporting Native Fish in Saginaw Bay

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission completed construction of a nearshore rock reef by Channel Island using GLRI funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Habitat Conservation.

February 3, 2026

EPA and EGLE Celebrate Removal of Muskegon Lake Area of Concern from List of Most Environmentally Degraded Areas in the Great Lakes

In September, Muskegon Lake became the 8th overall U.S. AOC delisted and the 7th delisted under the GLRI. The designation comes after years of restoration and remediation work which restored more than 134 acres of habitat and 6,000 linear feet of shoreline.

October 8, 2025

EPA Selects Four Recipients to Receive $3.7 Million in Grants to Assist Farmers with Nutrient Management in the Western Lake Erie Basin

The Nature Conservancy, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Lenawee County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Regents of the University of Michigan will receive $3,712,124 in grants funded under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. By providing technical assistance and outreach to farmers, these organizations will help reduce the amount of nutrient runoff entering Lake Erie resulting in harmful algal blooms.

July 1, 2025

Revitalizing the Detroit River Ecosystem for Great Lakes Fisheries

NOAA, with help from partners across the Great Lakes Basin, is transforming the Detroit River to create important spawning and nursery habitat for native fish like the walleye, lake sturgeon, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. These restoration initiatives are improving the health of the river and making progress towards removing the Detroit River from the list of areas of concern. 

May 20, 2025

Ashland, Green Bay, Two Harbors, and Oscoda Township selected for engineering and design support through Great Lakes coastal resilience program

Projects will use nature-based solutions to address coastal hazards and support habitat and species goals prioritized by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

December 30, 2024

Final Remaining BUI, Degradation of Benthos, Removed at Muskegon Lake AOC

The last remaining BUI in the Michigan AOC, the Degradation of Benthos, was removed after federal, state, and local partners determined that measures of benthic community health met established criteria.

December 12, 2024

The ultimate invader:  USDA Wildlife Services works to minimize feral swine threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem

Feral swine are a highly destructive invasive species with populations that have expanded across the country, resulting in damage to a wide range of resource types. Wildlife biologists and field specialists from USDA Wildlife Services work to reduce feral swine damage by providing technical assistance and conducting targeted management activities in the field.

December 3, 2024