Department of Environmental Quality
Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality says money earmarked to cleanup sites around the state is nearly gone and there are still thousands of sites where toxic chemicals threaten drinking water, streams and lakes.
The state needs nearly $100 million a year for cleanup efforts and without that money it is like abandoning cleanups, which have totaled nearly $1 billion since the 1980s.
As funding has dried up, DEQ scientists cannot investigate complaints, and rely on volunteers to track water pollution. Emerging threats include failing septic systems that contaminate water with sewage. There is currently no law requiring regular inspection or maintenance of septic systems.
December 10, 2007 6:18 AM | Category: Cleanup