This guide provides instructions on how to navigate Michigan CAFO databases, comment on pending CAFO permit applications, find past CAFO violations, create custom aerial maps of CAFOs, and more. If you have any questions or comments, please contact: WaterRangers@sraproject.org

MiEnviro Portal: State Information Database

Use this site to find and submit public comments on pending livestock permit applications

To Gather Information / Submit a Public Comment:

• On the right side menu, click “Public Notice Search” (Note: you don’t need to create a MiEnviro Portal account to view this information)
• Click the blue arrow to the right of the search box at top of the screen
• TYPE “CAFO” under “SITE NAME”
• Click “SEARCH”
• Click “View/Submit Comment” to view information on the permit application
• To download application documents:
  • Click “Documents” on the top menu
  • Click the downward arrow icon on the right of the screen to download a document
• To submit a public comment:
  • Click “Add Comment” on the top menu
  • Fill out the form
  • Click “Submit.”

To receive permit notifications:

• On the right side menu, click “Sign Up For / Manage Alerts”
• Enter your email address and click “Submit”
• Go to your email inbox, open the email sent from MiEnviro Support with the subject “Subscription Account Management Confirmation.” Click the blue link in the email.
• Fill out the form to select:
  • What kind of alerts you want to receive
    • Public Notices going into effect
    • Permits issued/denied by EGLE
    • Permit applications received by EGLE
  • What program you want notifications for (optional)
    • We suggest signing up for “WRD – Groundwater” and “WRD – NPDES,” but there are more options
  • What county or counties you want notifications for (optional)
• Click “Save.”

MiEnviro Portal: Site Map Explorer

Use this mapping site to find CAFO facilities, past CAFO violations, and spill reports

To Find CAFOs and Violations in Michigan:

• Click “Site Map Explorer” on the right menu
• Type name of facility on the left under “SEARCH by Keyword”
  • To do a general search, type “CAFO”
• Click Facility name in the left column
• Click “Show More Information” in blue at center of the page
• To find violation information:
  • Click “Compliance” on the top menu
  • Use the list to find facility violations
• To find and download documents:
  • Click “Documents” at the top of the page
    • Enforcement documents will have the following language in the description field:
      • Compliance Action
      • Violation Notice
      • Consent Order (CO)
  • Click the blue text for the document you want to download (the file will download automatically).

NEPAssist

Use this tool to map CAFOs and impaired waterways

• Click “Launch the NEPAssist Tool” on right
• Type the address/city/location you want to view on the top left
• Go to the drop-down menu under “Basemap” on the top menu. Click “Bing Maps Hybrid” to add a satellite image base map
• Use the “Select Map Contents” section on the right to add layers to the map
• To make an impaired waterway map:
  • Click the + sign next to “Water”
  • Click “Impaired Streams” 
  • Click “Impaired Waterbodies”
  • Print or save map
• You can also add more layers by clicking each + beside other map layer items to make maps with more/different information

Enviromapper

Use this tool to map impaired waterways and find impaired waterway reports indicating the reason for impairment

• Enter a location such as address, zip, city, county, waterbody, park name, etc. (e.g., 22207; Arlington, VA; or Jones Creek).
• Click “More Data” at top
• Click” Additional Data Layers”
• Click “Water Features”
• Click “Impaired Streams”
• Click “Impaired Waterbodies”
• If you click the red impairment line you’ll get a text box
• Click “MORE INFO” next to the “WaterbodyReportLink”
• This will give you the cause of impairment on the right side of your screen
• Print or save

FWS Wetland Mapper

Use this site to identify wetlands near CAFOs

• Click the “Wetlands Mapper” link at the bottom of the page to launch the map
• On the left, there will be two drop-down boxes:
  • Base Maps Includes:
    • Streets 
    • Satellite 
    • Hybrid 
    • Topo 
    • Terrain 
    • Gray 
    • Open Street Map 
    • NATGEO 
    • USGS Topo 
    • NAT’L MAP 
  • Map Layers Includes:
    • Wetlands 
    • Riparian 
    • Riparian Mapping Areas 
    • Areas of Interest 
    • FWS Managed Lands 
    • Historic Wetland Data 
• Choose your preferred basemap, then click all boxes under Map Layers
  • The USGS Topo basemap provides a topographic map with waterways; the Satellite basemap shows an aerial view of the land
• Type an address or coordinates 
• Zoom in or out to adjust picture 
• Wetlands will be shown on the map 
• Take your arrow and click on wetland
  • A box will open to give total acreage of wetland and a description 
• To measure the distance from a wetland to a CAFO:
  • Click “Measure” in the upper left corner
  • Click the ruler with arrows going left and right above it
  • Click your cursor on the map and drag it to the location to which you want to measure
  • View the distance in the gray box
• To measure the acreage of an area:
  • Click “Measure” in the upper left corner
  • Select the ruler icon with a green shape behind it
  • Select points on the map to measure the acreage of an area
  • De-select the ruler icon to exit the tool
• Click Print on the map to create a physical copy

Water Quality Standards by State

Use this site to find your state’s water quality standards

• Scroll down to the colorful map of the United States
• Click the state for which you want to find water quality standards
• Use the links under “State Standards in Effect for CWA Purposes” to find water quality standards in the state