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Michigan releases Lake Erie water quality plan

Michigan state officials have released a draft plan to reduce phosphorus entering Lake Erie and improve water quality.

Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Jamie Clover Adams says the action plan includes strategies for wetland restoration, invasive species research, and stricter requirements for sewage treatment facilities and farms. It will help set guidelines for how the state plans to contribute to the U.S. and Canada’s Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement which aims to reduce phosphorus in Lake Erie by 40 percent by 2025.

Public comment will be accepted through July 14th on the draft plan, which was created by the departments of agriculture, environmental quality and natural resources. A public meeting is also set for June 28th in Adrian.

Once finalized, Michigan’s plan will be combined with other Lake Erie Basin states into a comprehensive EPA action plan expected to be released in February of next year.