The Department of Environmental Quality was created by Executive Order No. 1995-18, which transferred environmental regulatory programs from the Department of Natural Resources to the newly created Department. Subsequently, the following executive orders transferred additional responsibilities to the Department:

Executive Order No. 1996-1: transferred responsibilities for environmental health programs relating to drinking water and radiological protection from the Department of Public Health to the Department of Environmental Quality.

Executive Order No. 1996-2: transferred the Low Level Radioactive Waste Authority from the Department of Commerce to the DEQ.

Executive Order No. 1997-2: transferred the Above Ground Storage Tank Program and the inspection of dry cleaning establishments from the Department of State Police to the DEQ.

Executive Order No. 1997-3: transferred the Michigan Environmental Science Board and the Environmental Administration Division from the Department of Management and Budget to the DEQ.

Executive Order 1999-10: created the Water Quality Advisory Board, charged with advising the Department of Environmental Quality regarding implementation of a comprehensive, long-term water quality monitoring program designed to measure the quality of Michigan’s streams, rivers and lakes, and detect areas of the state that need additional water quality control efforts.