Environmental Unit Works

to Keep County Clean

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith's Environmental Unit rigorously enforces and assists the county in developing strong environmental policies and programs on a regular basis.

"My office's Environmental Unit works to prevent those who would pollute our environment and corrupt our shoreline," Smith said. "We work closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Quality to ensure that our waters, wetlands, and streams are as clean and safe for our children as they are for us."

Meet Your Environmental Unit Chief: Luanne Laemmerman

Luanne LaemmermanEnvironmental Unit Chief Luanne Laemmerman is passionate about putting the kibosh on people who endanger the local environment. Besides taking polluters to task, she also enjoys outreach work in the community.

"Personally, the best part of my job is protecting and being an advocate for our natural resources," Laemmerman said.

As part of her work, she has visited schools in Macomb County along with the Health Department to talk about protecting the environment and water quality.

Laemmerman's love for the environment is a regional interest too. She has been a presenter at Clinton River Water Festival, an educational program at Oakland University in Rochester for more than 1,200 fifth-grade students from the Clinton River Watershed community schools in Oakland County. She was also part of the Lake St. Clair Water Festival held at Macomb Community College Center Campus in Clinton Township in May 2009. More than 1,000 Macomb County students attended this environmentally educational event.

The Environmental Unit of the Macomb County Prosecutor's office was created by the Macomb County Board of Commissioners more than ten years ago.

Environmental Unit Responsibilities

Smith's Environmental Unit prosecutes criminal violations of state laws and county ordinances relating to environmental quality. This includes:

  • Assisting environmental and criminal law enforcement agencies in investigating violations; authorizing criminal charges; and handling pre-trial, trial, and post-trial proceedings.
  • Representing the Prosecutor's Office on multi-agency task forces and on other environmental regulatory and enforcement initiatives and organizations.
  • Filing civil actions and intervening in administrative proceedings on behalf of the county prosecutor to prevent harm to the environmental health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the county.
  • Upon request, the Environmental Unit advises county departments and the Board of Commissioners on environmental law and policy issues.

Criminal Prosecutions

The Prosecutor's Office can file charges for criminal violations of state environmental laws and county ordinances. The Environmental Unit accepts case referrals from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Office of Criminal Investigations; the Macomb County Sheriff's Department; and local police departments. Most criminal referrals are from MDEQ.

The Environmental Unit handles many kinds of environmental criminal cases, including topics such as the Clean Water Act; solid and hazardous waste; scrap tire; underground storage tank; pesticide application; and wetland violations; as well as traditional crimes related to falsification of environmental records. The majority of criminal cases have involved violations in two areas, wetlands protection and solid waste disposal.

Some examples of environmental crimes which the Environmental Unit will handle include polluting drains, discharging pollution into the Lake or it's tributaries in violation of law, illegally disposing solid or hazardous waste, littering involving medical or infectious waste, watercraft pollution, and illegal use of pesticides.

The Environmental Unit also works to protect county wetlands and sanitary regulations.

Useful Contacts Provided by the Environmental Unit

For pollution emergencies, such as leaks or spills of toxic substances into the air, water, or ground: contact your local police station or the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) at 1-800-292-4706

To report septic problems or improper disposal of sewage or human waste, call: Macomb County Health Department at 586-469-5236

Report polluters at the Macomb County Public Works Hotline: 877-679-4337

The Environmental Unit of the Macomb County Prosecutors Office: 586-469-5350

For General Information and Assistance with Environmental Requirements:
MDEQ Environmental Assistance Center: 1-800-662-9278 (general questions)

MDEQ Wetland Protection: (517-241-8485) (wetland assessments and general questions about wetland regulation)

United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region 5:

Macomb County Health Department Environmental Health Division: (586-469-5236) (sewage discharges, septic system inspection and repair)

For General Environmental Information About the Clinton River:
Clinton River Watershed Council: 248-601-0606

For General Environmental Information about the Great Lakes:
Great Lakes Commission: Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)