MSU Press Release
MDEQ and Michigan State University Form Environmental Research Partnership
Francie Todd, MSU College of Ag. & Nat. Resources, (517) 432-1555, Patricia A. Spitzley, Mich. Dept. of Environmental Quality, (517) 241-7397
April 22, 2004
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and Michigan State University (MSU) are forming an environmental research partnership to address Michigan's critical environmental issues. The two organizations will sign an agreement today forming the Partnership for Environmental Excellence and Research (PEER).
The partnership will provide a framework for developing an environmental research agenda for Michigan that protects the health and integrity of the state's ecosystems. The MDEQ will identify important and emerging environmental issues that may be effectively addressed by MSU expertise in environmental and geospatial systems research. The immense research capacity of MSU can then be applied to state agency needs.
"MSU can be a tremendous partner to our department and its environmental work," said Steven Chester, MDEQ director. "We hope to improve our access to scientific information to enhance our capacity for a sound scientific basis for decision making. The partnership is another opportunity for us to stretch our resources."
The partnership will facilitate state agency access to MSU's environmental research, data and analysis. Broad public distribution of research data and analysis will also enhance public understanding of research in the environmental sciences and its application to environmental policy-making.
Tom Dietz, MSU director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program says, "This partnership is important to the university's environmental research agenda. The partnership also provides a vital connection for strategic communication of important environmental research data to MDEQ staff, policy makers, legislators, and citizens as well as opportunities for feedback from the users of our research data and information."
The partnership agreement, signed on Earth Day, will help create an innovative funding strategy to support cooperative projects and leverage resources for collaborative research projects.
