EGLE announces grants to improve water quality by reducing nonpoint source pollutants – Michigan Public

Report on Michigan’s Water Quality Improvement Grants and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has allocated $2.9 million in grants to address nonpoint source water pollution. These projects are strategically designed to prevent, reduce, or eliminate polluted runoff into lakes, streams, and wetlands, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Funding and Strategic Partnerships

The grants are financed through a collaborative funding model, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Funding sources include:

• The Renew Michigan Fund (State Level)
• Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act (Federal Level)

This partnership model is further strengthened by the requirement that grant recipients provide a minimum 25% funding match, ensuring local stakeholder investment and commitment.

Project Initiatives and SDG Contributions

The funded projects target specific watersheds and environmental challenges, with each initiative contributing to distinct SDGs:

1. Thornapple River Watershed: The project aims to mitigate high levels of bacteria from human sources.
   • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Directly improves water quality by addressing a key pollutant.
   • SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Protects aquatic ecosystems from harmful bacterial contamination.
2. Grand Traverse Bay Watershed: This initiative focuses on restoring a stream to its proper dimensions and function.
   • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Enhances the natural filtration and flow of the water body.
   • SDG 15 (Life on Land): Restores a critical component of the local terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem interface.
3. Ottawa-Stony North and Munuscong River Watersheds: The project will implement best livestock management practices to reduce E. Coli impairments.
   • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Reduces a significant source of agricultural runoff and water contamination.
   • SDG 14 (Life Below Water): Prevents E. Coli from harming aquatic life and ecosystem health.
4. Grand River and Manistee River Watersheds: Approximately 852 acres will be protected through permanent conservation easements.
   • SDG 15 (Life on Land): Directly protects land from development, preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services.
   • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Safeguards water quality by maintaining natural landscapes that filter and regulate water flow.
5. Inland Waterways Stewardship Guide: A guide will be developed to educate residents and recreational users.
   • SDG 4 (Quality Education): Promotes environmental awareness and education on critical issues like invasive species, shoreline protection, and nutrient runoff.
   • SDG 6, 14, and 15: Empowers communities to take action that protects water resources and local ecosystems.

Selection Criteria and Long-Term Impact

EGLE’s selection process prioritizes projects that demonstrate a high potential for long-term water quality improvement and protection, consistent with approved watershed management plans. This focus on sustainable, cost-effective outcomes ensures that the investments align with the overarching objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals, fostering resilient ecosystems and communities for the future.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses projects aimed at improving water quality, protecting ecosystems, and managing land use, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The core focus of the article is on grants awarded to prevent and reduce water pollution from nonpoint sources.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article details efforts to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems and terrestrial land within watersheds through conservation and management of invasive species.
• SDG 14: Life Below Water – By addressing pollution in watersheds that flow into the Great Lakes, the article touches upon the goal of reducing pollution in large bodies of water.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The mention of implementing “best livestock practices” connects the issue of water pollution to sustainable agricultural production methods.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific projects and goals mentioned in the article, the following SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation):
   • Target 6.3: “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution…” This is the central theme of the article, which describes grants to “prevent, reduce, or eliminate polluted runoff.” Projects specifically aim to address “high levels of bacteria from human sources,” “E. Coli impairments,” and “nutrient runoffs.”
   • Target 6.5: “By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels…” The article states that grant recipients were chosen based on “consistency with the approved watershed management plan,” which is a key component of integrated water resources management.
   • Target 6.6: “By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems…” The projects to “restore a stream… to proper dimensions” in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed and to protect shorelines directly contribute to this target.
2. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • Target 15.1: “By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems…” The article mentions protecting a total of 852 acres in the Grand River and Manistee River watersheds using “permanent conservation easements” to limit development and conserve the land.
   • Target 15.8: “By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems…” One of the funded projects is to “develop a stewardship guide to educate residents and recreational users about managing invasive species.”
3. Under SDG 14 (Life Below Water):
   • Target 14.1: “By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including… nutrient pollution.” The grants targeting “polluted runoff” and “nutrient runoffs” from land into watersheds that feed into the Great Lakes directly address this target.
4. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.2: “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.” The project to “implement best livestock practices to stop E. Coli impairments” is an action toward sustainable agricultural production, which manages natural resources (water, land) more efficiently to reduce pollution.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not mention official SDG indicators, but it implies several practical metrics that can be used to measure the progress and success of the funded projects:

• For improving water quality (Target 6.3):
  • A direct indicator would be the measured reduction in the concentration of pollutants, such as “levels of bacteria from human sources” and “E. Coli” in the Thornapple, Ottawa-Stony North, and Munuscong River watersheds.
• For protecting and restoring ecosystems (Targets 6.6 and 15.1):
  • A clear, quantifiable indicator is the area of land protected. The article specifies this as “About 300 acres in the Grand River Watershed and 552 acres in the Manistee River Watershed.”
  • Another indicator is the successful restoration of stream health, which could be measured by physical dimensions, water flow, and biodiversity in the restored stream in the Grand Traverse Bay watershed.
• For managing invasive species (Target 15.8):
  • An output indicator is the creation and distribution of the “stewardship guide.” An outcome indicator could be the level of awareness and adoption of recommended practices by residents and recreational users.
• For implementing sustainable practices (Target 12.2):
  • An indicator would be the number of farms or livestock operations that adopt the “best livestock practices” within the targeted watersheds.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: michiganpublic.org