Michigan officials celebrated Cheboygan’s new upgrades wastewater treatment facility, according to a press release by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
The Cheboygan plant upgrades replace 1970s-era technology and improve treatment processes that better protect Lake Huron, enhance public health safeguards, and reduce costs through state-assisted funding.
Funding for the $17.4 million facility was assisted through a low-interest loan with $5-million principal forgiveness through EGLE. Half of EGLE’s budget is typically returned to communities like Cheboygan in the form of grants and loans to address environmental and public health issues.
Chris Bauer, community and economic development manager with Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, noted that the plant upgrades join numerous infrastructure investments in the community.
“This is one of the biggest economic development projects we’ve seen in a while,” Bauer said.
The MI Clean Water Plan expanded this week to include new funding opportunities that became available since the plan was launched three years ago. More information on Michigan water infrastructure funding opportunities is available on the MI Clean Water Plan webpage.