Michigan Environmental Report

Michigan Environmental Council opposes Senate Bills (SB) 652 and 653—widely known as the “fox guarding the henhouse” environmental measures—which passed the State House today.

Michigan Environmental Council applauds the Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan ballot campaign and utility companies DTE Energy and Consumers Energy for reaching an agreement today that will see 50% of the utilities' energy portfolio made up of clean energy resources no later than 2030. This announcement is a big step forward for clean energy in Michigan and is a win for our air and water as well as Michigan ratepayers. 

SAVE THE DATE!

Our 20th Annual Environmental Awards Celebration will be held Thursday, June 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest.

Some 100 people from across the state traveled to Lansing last Wednesday to rally lawmaker support for ending lead poisoning in Michigan.

Eighteen teams of three to five advocates fanned out across the State Capitol, meeting with approximately 90 state legislative offices as part of the largest-ever Lead Education Day—an annual event coordinated by MEC and our allies in the Michigan Alliance for Lead Safe Homes (MIALSH).

Kudos to DEQ for taking a stand against some of the most dangerous environmental bills in memory. The agency submitted formal opposition to S.B. 652 and 653—recently passed by the State Senate—at a hearing yesterday in the House Michigan Competitiveness Committee. Those reckless bills would take authority for protecting our environment out of the hands of our elected officials and give it to panels made up of the very interests who directly profit from discharging pollutants into our air and water. Although DEQ submitted a “card” against the bills at the hearing, committee leaders did not make that fact known to those in attendance or the public.

Yesterday we shared the letter below with the House Michigan Competitiveness Committee, regarding Senate Bills 652 & 653, which would delegate state rulemaking and permitting authority to private interests. 

The Environmental Justice Work Group (EJWG) appointed by Governor Snyder today publicly released their final report. The 23 members of the EJWG reached strong consensus on the final report’s 33 recommendations to address the Governor’s charge laid out in his 2017 State of the State address. 

Legislation that essentially gives a free pass for large water withdrawals and eliminates public input on large water withdrawals is on a fast track in the Michigan House of Representatives, receiving a hearing within a week of being introduced.

Michigan Environmental Council praised the clean energy goals set by Consumers Energy in their sustainability plan released today.

"An 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions is exactly the kind of forward-thinking goal we need to create a clean energy future for Michigan," said Michigan Environmental Council President Chris Kolb.