Michigan Environmental Report

LANSING - The Whitmer Administration announced an executive decision today that farmland sites under Public Act 116 of Michigan’s Farmland and Open Space Program can now host solar arrays and remain enrolled in the program. Currently, there are approximately 3.3 million acres of farmland under PA 116. Notably, the PA 116 sites that opt to add solar under this decision must also meet pollinator habitat standards as determined by the Michigan Pollinator Habitat Planning Scorecard for Solar Sites, a tool designed by researchers at Michigan State University. Solar energy is an important and growing clean, renewable resource in Michigan. Michigan Environmental Council released the following statement in support:

Conan Smith--an experienced nonprofit leader, policy innovator, and respected public official--will be the new CEO of Michigan Environmental Council. He’s been selected to fill the position vacated by Chris Kolb, who was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to serve as State Budget Director.

LANSING - The House appropriations subcommittee passed out their fiscal year 2020 budget for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on a party line vote. In their budget, House Republican leadership took a hatchet to programs that protect Michiganders from environmental and public health threats by cutting an astounding $9 million from Governor Whitmer’s proposal. This comes in sharp contrast to what Senate Republicans supported in their budget for the departments, which included $120 million in general funds for EGLE. Michigan Environmental Council released the following statement in opposition:

The Michigan Public Service Commission partially struck down a controversial $328 million rate increase proposed by DTE Energy, approving only $125 million of the request. Residential ratepayers will bear most of the increase with a close to 4.8% increase in the average bill, while rates for commercial and industrial customers will increase by only 0.3%. The Commission also rejected a problematic fixed customer charge increase, DTE's poorly designed program for customers with rooftop solar installations, and excessive coal plant spending.

LANSING, MI (March 12, 2019) -- The Michigan Public Service Commission received a recommendation late last week from an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to partially strike down the controversial $328 million rate increase requested by DTE. Michigan Environmental Council (MEC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Sierra Club are co-intervenors in the rate case before the Public Service Commission and advocated for significant cutbacks to DTE’s request.

Over the weekend a settlement agreement was reached by Consumers Energy and a diverse set of stakeholders on the utility’s integrated resource plan (IRP). If approved, the terms of the settlement would ensure that Consumers: retires Karn coal units 1 and 2 in 2023, conducts a robust early retirement analysis of Campbell coal units 1 and 2 in its next IRP, ramps up investment in energy efficiency and demand response, and greatly increases the use of solar and wind energy within its portfolio. Michigan Environmental Council, along with our partners the Natural Resource Defense Council and Sierra Club, intervened in Consumers' IRP proceeding at the Michigan Public Service Commission and signed onto the settlement agreement. MEC released the following statement in support:

DETROIT - Today, it was announced that the Detroit Renewable Power trash incinerator will be shut down. The incinerator has long been a terrible source of pollution for the City of Detroit and emits toxins like nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and lead as well as foul odors. Zero Waste Detroit and Michigan Environmental Council have released the following statement in support of this decision:

LANSING - Today, Governor Whitmer announced that she will be re-establishing the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) science advisory board to study the science around exposure to PFAS. Furthermore, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will be issuing a request for rulemaking to set a drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFAS statewide. The administration wants the MPART groups to inform the scope of the rulemaking and the standards.