FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2024
EGLE Media Office, [email protected], 517-284-9278

EGLE budget invests in infrastructure, safeguards Michigan?s resources

Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes over $1 billion, supports 1,652 public servants protecting environment and public health

Replacing lead water service lines, deploying electric vehicle chargers, and making communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change are a few of the priorities represented in Michigan?s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy?s (EGLE) portion of the budget includes $1.04 billion and 1,652 full-time employees. This budget utilizes state resources and funds from President Biden?s Investing in America Agenda, including the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). ?

These resources support our efforts to make Michigan the best place to live, work, and play by protecting public health, preserving Michigan?s world-class natural resources, and strengthening Michigan?s communities.

?We?re grateful to Governor Whitmer and the legislature for passing a budget that will safeguard our land, air, and water resources and supports our efforts to combat climate change,? said EGLE Director Phil Roos. ?This budget empowers us to drive change in communities today and create lasting, positive impacts for tomorrow. Whether it?s installing electric vehicle chargers, enhancing access to renewable energy, replacing lead service lines, or modernizing Michigan?s water infrastructure, this budget allows us to deliver meaningful impacts in the communities that need it most.?

More than half of EGLE?s $1.04 billion budget will pass through Michigan?s cities, towns, villages, and other local governments on the frontlines of protecting residents and our natural resources. The department is committed to meeting and seeks to exceed Justice 40, a federal initiative that ensures at least 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

EGLE?s FY 2025 budget invests in the following areas.

Rebuilding infrastructure and protecting Michigan?s water resources. Since 2019, the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has invested more than $4 billion in water infrastructure projects. Building on that progress, earlier this year, the Governor announced a $290 million expansion of her MI Clean Water Plan using the remainder of the bipartisan, voter-approved 2002 Great Lakes Water Quality Protection Bond.

Drawing down federal drinking water infrastructure dollars. $35.3 million one-time General Fund (GF); $5 million ongoing GF. Provides grants and loans to communities, helping them replace lead service lines and other critical water infrastructure like water mains and pumps while encouraging a ?dig once? philosophy when upgrading water infrastructure. Ensures Michigan pulls down every dollar available through the BIL.
Supporting community-specific water infrastructure projects. $25 million one-time GF. Provides grants to nine communities for critical water infrastructure upgrades like lead service line removal, water main replacements, wastewater and sanity sewer projects, and more.
Rebuilding drinking water and clean water infrastructure. $21.5 million ongoing federal, $3.5 million ongoing GF. Expands funding for the State Revolving Funds, which helps communities upgrade their water infrastructure and address critical public health issues like lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination, sewer overflows, and more.
Deploying climate-resilient water infrastructure. $10 million one-time GF. Assists communities in adapting to and making their infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change, like flooding, through the installation of stormwater diversion infrastructure.
Managing our waters from source to tap. $5.1 million one-time federal, $5.7 million one-time GF. Various programs to better manage our water resources and coastlines, research microplastics, expand tools to protect drinking water, and provide communities with support for critical local water infrastructure projects.

Making progress on MI Healthy Climate Plan and leading on mobility. The MI Healthy Climate Plan is Michigan?s roadmap to achieve economywide carbon neutrality by 2050 with interim benchmarks in 2025 and 2030. Its goals are to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis, create good-paying jobs, position Michigan as a leader in climate action, and build a healthier, more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable Michigan for all Michiganders.

Expanding access to rooftop and community-serving solar. $156.2 million one-time federal. Supports the MI Solar for All program, a program to lower the cost of community-serving and rooftop solar for thousands of low-income and disadvantaged community households across the state, saving eligible households 20% on their utility bills and providing additional meaningful benefits.
Deploying electric vehicle charging infrastructure. $30 million one-time GF. Helps fill gaps in electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the state, complementing federal funding, and supports the installation of chargers at multi-family homes and fleet parking lots to support commercial fleet transitions.
Deploying hydrogen fueling stations. $22.3 million one-time federal. Supports the construction of hydrogen fueling stations for heavy-duty vehicles.
Diverting waste from landfills and enhancing recycling. $5 million one-time GF. Provides grants to communities for waste diversion programs, including circular economy initiatives, composting, and recycling.
Plugging wells and reducing methane emissions. $5 million one-time federal. Supports the plugging of marginal conventional wells, protecting water resources from contamination and reducing methane emissions.
Enhancing our efforts to mitigate climate pollution. $4.6 million one-time federal, $3 million one-time GF. A variety of programs to improve air quality monitoring, reduce diesel emissions, support agricultural businesses in their efforts to be more sustainable, develop and implement a Class VI well program. Also includes support for the development of a community-serving solar array in the city of Grand Rapids.

Implementing new legislation protecting Michigander?s health from harmful asbestos exposure. The budget includes a $2 million ongoing investment to increase EGLE inspections of demolition of buildings that may contain asbestos.

Investing in Team EGLE, improving transparency, protecting public health, and enhancing environmental protection. The budget includes investments to hire staff to support grant making and regulatory programs from this year?s budget, enhance department-wide modernized records management, and implement the ?Filter First? program, ensuring that thousands of schools and childcare centers provide access to clean drinking water for Michigan children.

For more information about the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, visit www.Michigan.gov/EGLE.

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