Here are some useful resources for Michigan citizens as they get involved in local land use issues, regulatory cases, and the political battles over them:
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The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council recently published a statewide River and Wetlands Experts Directory. Contact them at P.O. Box 300, Conway, MI 49722, Tel. 231-347-1181, e-mail water@freeway.org. |
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You can obtain lists of Michigan townships and other local government news from the Michigan Townships Association, 517 Westshire Drive, P.O. Box 80078, Lansing, MI 48908-0078, Tel. 517-321-6467, Web site www.mta-townships.org. |
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For state government information — from legislator contacts to copies of laws — the following Web site is key: www.michiganlegislature.org. You also can obtain this information from the reference desk at your local public library. |
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To find out which Department of Environmental Quality office you need to contact and how to do that, ask the reference librarian at your local library or use this Web site: www.deq.state.mi.us/deqdivi.html |
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Try this U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water issues Web site: www.epa.gov/ow/text.html. It has an extensive list of useful links to water-related laws, clean-up initiatives, mapping and monitoring tools, fact sheets, and regulatory contacts. For general federal regulatory information, use the main EPA website at www.epa.gov. |
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For Michigan planning and zoning news and services, contact the Planning and Zoning Center, 715 N. Cedar Street, Lansing MI 48906-5206, Tel. 517-886-0555, Fax 517-886-0564, Web site www.pzcenter.com. |
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Find a broad selection of planning and zoning information at the Planning Commissioners Journal Web site, www.plannersweb.com. |
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Learn how other communities around the country are challenging Wal-Mart and other big box stores at this Web site, www.sprawl-busters.com. |
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To learn more about the state and national political process and how lawmakers rate, contact Project Vote Smart, One Common Ground, Philipsburg, MT 59858. You also can call the nonprofit group’s Voter’s Research Hotline at 800-VOTE-SMART, or look up information on the Web site www.vote-smart.org. |
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For a copy of the new Michigan League of Conservation Voters’ rating of Michigan lawmakers, contact Cindy Janecke at 734-761-8983 or e-mail cjaneck@aol.com.
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