On Friday, Michigan will release a draft of its latest plan to make Michigan carbon neutral by 2050 and protect the state's people and places from climate change.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) presented the draft plan to the Council on Climate Solutions, which included all the recommendations put forth by the Council’s workgroups. EGLE will take public comment starting Friday before finalizing the plan.

Charlotte Jameson, chief policy officer for the Michigan Environmental Council, co-chaired the Council on Climate Solutions' buildings and housing workgroup. Jameson offered praise for the state administration developing a plan and noted the need for bolder action.

This year, Michiganders across the state suffered through flood after flood, power outage after power outage, and ozone action day after ozone action day. Now, 28 organizations and municipalities are urging the state to boldly and equitably take on the cause of each crisis: climate change.

Environmental, public health, education, science and humanitarian experts came together to write letter of policy recommendations to the Michigan Council on Climate Solutions and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE). Both the citizen-led Council and EGLE are tasked with shaping a climate plan that will make Michigan carbon neutral by 2050.

The letter urges the Council and EGLE to adopt its policies, which will lessen energy use, power Michigan's grid with renewable energy, and electrify buildings, transportation and industry. It also urged both entities to ensure those most disproportionally impacted by climate change receive the most protection from it.

Nearly 1.5 million Michigan children are one step closer to drinking lead-safe water in their schools and daycare centers thanks to two votes in the Michigan Legislature.

Senate Bills 184 and 185 both passed out of the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality with 5-0-1 votes on Nov. 30. They head to the Senate floor.