For Friday, Jan. 5, 2018

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1 – Eighty communities have received funding for sewer planning.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality awarded nearly $64 million to the local governments to help with planning for sewer system maintenance needs.

Communities and funding amounts include: $1.6 million to Hampton Township and $350,000 to Kawkawlin Township.

This the fifth ground of state grants for sewer planning. The DEQ says municipalities applied for the grants in 2013, and approved applications have been awarded in a lottery process starting in March 2014.

2 – The Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy has received a major award.

The Conservancy has received the Park Design Award for 2017 from the Michigan Recreation and Park Association.

The honor is for the Conservancy’s O.U.R. Saginaw Project.

The O.U.R. Saginaw effort includes a Pollinator Project to convert more than 1,500 vacant, overgrown lots into low-growing, low-maintenance pollinator plots.

There’s also the Janet H. Nash Riverfront Preserve, a 2-plus acre new riverfront natural area, developed out of a under-used parking lot; and nature trails at the Children’s Zoo in Saginaw and at Saginaw Valley State University.

3 – Michigan students can find ways to use solar energy in their schools as part of a statewide contest.

“My Solar School Contest” is put on by the Ecology Center, U.S. Green Building Council, Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association and others.

Student teams in grades 6-12 will compete by conducting a solar feasibility study at their school and creating a short video to showcase their vision.

Prizes include cash and technical support.

Pre-registration is open until Jan. 19, with a contest deadline of March 30.

See ecocenter.org for more details.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 9:30 a.m. Fridays in Bay City, Michigan, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM NPR. Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes