The summary and links below provide a description and documentation of a Muskegon, Michigan project that received a Level II Cooperative Agreement from EPA’s former Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program in 2005. These case studies serve as historic references, and conditions since the project was funded may have changed.

The resources developed for this project provide communities with information about ways that other communities have addressed environmental issues. Communities can use these project results to reduce environmental impacts, understand risks and become stewards of their own environment.

Summary

Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council
Muskegon, Michigan
EPA Region 5

The Muskegon County Environment Coordinating Council (MCECC) is the recipient of a Level II CARE Cooperative Agreement. This project provides an opportunity to explore the CARE approach in a non-urban setting. The MCECC will use CARE funding to address the environmental concerns of its community through extensive educational outreach. Historically, Muskegon County's economy depended on the logging and manufacturing industries, which were later discovered to have played a part in the region's environmental contamination. The County has identified the following environmental problems as its priorities: (1) the contamination of fish caught in local lakes and Lake Michigan with PCBs, mercury, dioxins, DDT, and chlordane; (2) the condition of the region's drinking water; (3) the number of homes in the County contaminated with lead paint; (4) air quality and industrial waste issues, and; (5) the lack of local recycling resources. The County envisions a multi-media effort to address these problems. The media will educate and inform citizens about the existing environmental issues prevalent in the region and encourage residents to take action and protect themselves.

CARE funding will finance media efforts, such as technology equipment for presentations, office supplies, printing services, educational signs and posts, newspaper advertisements, public service announcements, lead dust sample kits for neighborhood distribution, travel, postage, etc. Additionally, it will cover the cost for a project manager, who will be responsible for updating web sites, developing materials and presentation, organizing meeting schedules and special events, and participation in environmental organization meetings.

Established CARE Partnership: The Community Environmental Health Assessment Team (CEHA) consists of 27 community stakeholders: the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission; the City of Muskegon Commissioner; the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District; the Muskegon Chemical Council; the Muskegon Area Cooperating Churches; the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly; the United States Department of Agriculture; Grand Valley State University; Conservation District; Westshore Consulting; Save Our Shoreline; Timberland Resource, Conservation, and Development; the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; the Urban League; the Muskegon County Wastewater Management System; the City of Muskegon Public Works; the Muskegon Family Care Director; Latinos Working for the Future; SAPPI Fine Paper.

The Muskegon County Environment Coordinating Council (MCECC) CARE web page includes fact sheets were developed to assist Michigan State University Extension nutrition instructors in Muskegon County for delivering lessons on eating and preparing locally caught fish. 

• Visit this community’s CARE web page.Exit

• Final Report: Muskegon County Environmental Coordinating Council (PDF)(12 pp, 74 K, 2009)