February 12, 2025
In 2024, EGLE developed six new interactive web maps and dashboards, three new story maps, 27 new open data items, and one new hub site, for a grand total of 37 new features shared on the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)'s Maps and Data Portal, the central location for maps and data. EGLE published four more experience builder web applications than it did in 2023.
The new features – ranging from Michigan’s PFAS areas of interest to where we're monitoring aquatic invasive species – are part of EGLE's commitment to transparency and accessibility. The agency continues to work to make information and data available quickly on the EGLE website.
These items include some of EGLE’s most popular public content of the year. Here are some of the department’s favorite items in each category. For a complete list of published content, see the end of this article.
Published: April 22, 2024. Under the Remediation Information Data Exchange managed by the Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD), this application allows users to view sites of environmental contamination under Part 201, leaking underground storage tank sites (both open and closed) regulated under Part 213, and underground storage tank facilities (both active and closed) regulated under Part 211. Users can also view any land use or resource use restriction imposed on a property that has been provided to EGLE.
Published: October 16, 2024. This portal provides up-to-date and historical air monitoring data across Michigan, including real-time pollutant monitoring data alongside the color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI). It is an important resource in keeping the public informed about air quality conditions across the state. In addition to viewing monitoring data, visitors to the site can see air quality forecasts for the week ahead, discussions, Action Day! declarations, and sign up for electronic notification services.
Published: January 22, 2024. This dashboard provides the locations and additional important information for orphan well sites under the Orphan Well Program created in Michigan in 1994. Orphan wells are abandoned or improperly plugged wells for which there is no known solvent existing owner or operator. EGLE’s Geologic Resources Management Division (GRMD) worked with the oil and gas industry for the passage of Act 308, P.A. 1994, which established an Orphan Well Fund within the Michigan Department of Treasury. The GRMD utilizes the fund, paid for by revenue created by a severance tax on the oil and gas industry, to plug and remediate orphan well sites. Since the passage of Act 308 nearly 30 years ago, approximately 400 sites have either been plugged or remediated.
Published: March 5, 2024. EGLE biologists protect Michigan’s waterways by monitoring and managing aquatic invasive species (AIS) throughout the state. Read this interactive story to learn about invasive species in Michigan, how EGLE detects and responds to them, and how the public can help report them.
Published: April 22, 2024. This guide provides extensive information on the Remediation Information Data Exchange and data related to the RIDE Mapper. It also outlines how to effectively use the RIDE Mapper application and its components.
Published: March 26, 2024. Metrics are an important part of Air Quality Division (AQD)'s story, but the numbers alone don't tell the whole story. Read this story to deep dive into more details about the information found in the AQD 2023 Year in Review.
Published: March 25, 2024. This data is a static pull of EGLE’s Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program (EGLE-FCMP) on 11/01/2023. Only edible portion data (e.g. fillets, headless and gutted rainbow smelt, lake sturgeon steaks) are shown with select contaminants used by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' Eat Safe Fish Program (MDHHS-ESF) for advisory development.
Published: March 22, 2024. This data is from the Gelman Site of 1,4-Dioxane Contamination. This layer contains the modeled 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume related to the Gelman Site using maximum concentrations at each location from 2023. The 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume is a contaminated groundwater site in Ann Arbor, MI. 1,4-dioxane is a man-made compound that is used in industry as a solvent to manufacture other chemicals and is a by-product in many items.
Published: January 22, 2024. Locations of orphaned oil & gas wells in Michigan that will be properly abandoned by the Orphan Well Program using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds.
In addition to the content featured above, EGLE is excited to highlight two staffers and one recent retiree who were honored at IMAGIN’s 31st annual conference in June. John Esch, who retired as a Geology Specialist from EGLE earlier this year, was featured as the 2024 IMAGIN Geospatial Achievement winner. Visit IMAGIN's Geospatial Achievement Award page to learn more about John’s work that earned the award and to view the presentation slides.
Zach Chamberlin and Emily Kirkpatrick from EGLE’s Water Resources Division were also honored at the IMAGIN conference for their story map, "Shifting Sands: Michigan’s Critical Dune Areas". This story map was awarded the “People’s Choice” winner.
In the summer, former GIS Lead Kate Berg was promoted to EGLE GIS Services Unit Manager. Shanna Martucci joined the team as our new GIS Lead. Our team also gained two new student assistants.
In November, EGLE celebrated GIS Day in 2024 by highlighting the diverse set of GIS-driven work within our divisions. Read the feature in the Celebrating GIS Day: Exploring the Power of GIS at EGLE.
In 2024, the Geologic Resources Management Division (formerly the Oil, Gas, and Mineral Division) saw the addition of the Groundwater Data Unit (GDU) within the Groundwater and Geological Services Section. The GDU was established to provide data management services, including GIS support, which will play a critical role in current and future projects. These projects include the Michigan Hydrologic Framework, the National Groundwater Monitoring Network, the incorporation of groundwater data into the statewide EQuIs database, and the modernization of the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool. The unit has also welcomed Tariku Negassa, a geologist with expertise in GIS, who will support efforts to clean, collect, and manage data for the new unit.
For more from EGLE’s GIS program, visit EGLE's centralized location for maps and data to see all of our public GIS content. You can also subscribe to the EGLE Maps and Data Updates GovDelivery list to get an email straight to your inbox when we publish new datasets or mapping applications.
