Michigan Geological Survey finds new home at Western Michigan University

State legislation signed Oct. 11 by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder transfers the Michigan Geological Survey from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to Western Michigan University. It will become part of the University's Department of Geosciences, which already is home to the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education. [right, Michian Basin. Credit, WMU]

The transfer has been under discussion since 2009. The transfer of data and collections already is taking place and will likely be completed within a year. The transfer legislation calls for the regulatory role of the survey to remain with the DEQ, while the state gains essential geological information and the expertise needed to:

• develop oil and gas supplies
• protect groundwater resources
• identify geological hazards
• provide educational opportunities for students and the general public

Dr. Alan Kehew, a professor of geosciences and an expert on glacial geology of Michigan, has been appointed as the director of the Survey.

[taken in part from the WMU news release]