Public Works & Environmental Services
Refuse, Yard Waste & Recycling Collection
Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
The City of East Lansing strives
to be on the forefront of environmentally sound practices and initiatives. This
includes efforts to reduce stormwater pollution and prevent it from entering our
storm sewers and eventually our rivers, streams
and drainage-ways.
The City of East Lansing is fortunate to have the Red Cedar River and
several open drainage-ways located within our city limits. These amenities provide
recreational and aesthetic value to our citizens as well as a natural habitat for
a variety of plants and animals.
East Lansing's Initiatives
Because rivers and streams do not recognize political boundaries,
it is important that the City works together with our neighbors to protect our water
resources for the good of both current and future generations. With this in mind,
the City of East Lansing and several local communities created the ?Greater Lansing
Regional Committee on Phase II Non-Point Source Pollution Prevention? (GLRC). The
GLRC has led the efforts in meeting the requirements of the individual communities?
stormwater discharge permits (NPDES Permits) as issued by the Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The NPDES permits give each community authority
to discharge storm water from its separate storm water drainage system to the waters
of the State.
In general, the City's and the GLRC's initiatives can be broken down
into the following tasks:
- Development of "Watershed Management Plans" that includes a comprehensive action plan to address the needs of each watershed.
- Development of a "Storm Water Pollution Prevention Initiatives" plan that specifically identifies the City's commitment in addressing each of the individual action items listed in the Watershed Management Plans and in the City's NPDES Permit.
- Implementation of a "Public Education Plan."
- Implementation of an "Illicit Discharge Elimination Plan" (IDEP) that requires the identification, field investigation, and inspection of all storm water discharges into the rivers, streams and drainage-ways throughout the City to ensure that no pollutants are being discharged.
- Enhancement to the "Habitat and Recreational" aspects of the local streams, drainage-ways and adjoining areas.
- Review of the City's "Ordinances and Political Processes" to promote and incorporate water quality friendly development and practices.
- Development of a set of "Best Management Practices" to be followed by the City and its contractors in performing routine work within the City.
The GLRC has set up a website that provides background on the work that was performed in addressing many of these issues that are common to all of their members including the City of East Lansing. The website is www.mywatersheds.org .
Report Environmental Pollution Emergencies
The Michigan Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) is a 24-hour hotline managed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The hotline is used to report environmental pollution emergencies. The hotline is toll free at (800) 292-4706.
Related links
Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Watershed Management Plans
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Initiatives (SWPPI)
Public Education Efforts & Materials
Illicit Discharge Elimination Program
Enhancement to Habitat & Recreation (coming soon)
Ordinances Political Processes (coming soon)
Best Management Practices (coming soon)