The michigan department of health and human services and the eat safe fish river walker project will work to reduce public exposure to contaminants in great lakes fish by implementing trained river…

Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 awarded a $840,716 cooperative agreement to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on May 1, 2026, under the Geographic Programs - Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (CFDA 66.469) to reduce public exposure to contaminants in Great Lakes fish through direct health education delivered by trained river walkers to anglers.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will hire two watershed coordinators to oversee the project and train six river walkers to conduct site reconnaissance, coordinate community engagement, and distribute Eat Safe Fish educational materials. The agency will sub-award funds to two separate watershed councils, which will hire on-site coordinators to oversee river walkers operating in the Huron River and Kalamazoo River watersheds. The on-site coordinators and river walkers will engage with anglers and educate community members on the benefits and risks of consuming Great Lakes fish.

Project deliverables include distributing 1,500 Eat Safe Fish educational materials statewide (brochures, Michigan Eat Safe Fish guides, translated guides, and promotional items) and documenting angler and community member interactions, with an estimated 1,500 people engaged annually. Beneficiaries include community members and anglers in multiple Michigan river corridors: the Huron, Kalamazoo, Flint, St. Clair, St. Mary's, Rouge, and Clinton rivers.

The period of performance runs from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2029. Work is performed in Lansing, Michigan.

The michigan department of health and human services and the eat safe fish river walker project will work to reduce public exposure to contaminants in great lakes fish by implementing trained river walkers to offer direct, in-person health education to anglers about the risks and benefits of great lakes fish consumption. Activities:project activities include hiring two watershed coordinators to oversee the project and training six river walkers in conducting site reconnaissance, coordinating community engagement with local partners, and distributing the eat safe fish (ESF) educational materials. Subrecipient:the michigan department of health and human services will subaward funds to two separate watershed councils who will hire on site coordinators to oversee activities of multiple river walkers. These on-site coordinators and oversee the work of river walkers in the huron river and kalamazaoo river watersheds to implement project activities, including engaging with anglers and educating citizens on the benefits and risks of consuming great lakes fish. Outcomes:project deliverables will include distributing 1,500 ESF educational materials statewide, including brochures, the michigan eat safe fish guides, translated guides and various promotional items. The project will also include documentation of angler interactions and community member engagement such as number of anglers/citizen interactions for an estimated total of 1,500 people annually. This project's beneficiaries are community members and anglers living in and around the multiple michigan river corridors which include the huron river, kalamazoo river, flint river, ST. Clair river, ST. Mary's river, rouge river, and clinton river.