TAKE ACTION: Tell Your Senator to Vote for Clean Energy

Updated October 28, 2016

The Senate is reviewing Michigan's energy laws RIGHT NOW! Will they decide to double down on dirty coal, fracked natural gas, nuclear and other polluting sources or will they move boldly toward a clean energy future? We have a chance to get more renewable energy and efficiency built into Michigan's energy policy but we need your help to make this happen.

Instructions
1) Click here and put your address into the form to find out who your state Senator is.
2) Review our talking points (below).
3) Click here to find your state Senator's office phone number.
4) Call your state Senator's office and use the talking points to tell them: vote NO on Senate Bills 437 and 438. If you call M-F 9am-5pm you'll likely get to speak with the legislator's staff. If not, please leave a voicemail for them.

Talking Points
[Introduce yourself, say where you live in their district]

I urge you to vote NO on SB 437-438 (sponsored by Sen. Mike Nofs and John Proos). These bills raise Michigan's renewable energy standard to 15% by 2021 which is not enough to seriously mitigate climate change and address our dependence on polluting fossil fuels. They also create a grid usage charge for net metering/distributed generation. I oppose this legislation because it would keep our electric grid powered by dirty, polluting, and unsustainable fossil fuels.

I want Michigan to hold utility companies accountable and require them to invest in renewable energy and efficiency. SB 437-438 will not accomplish this.

Here is want I want to see in Michigan's next energy policy: 
-Increase Michigan's renewable energy standard (not an unenforceable goal) to 30% by 2030.
-Increase Michigan's energy efficiency/optimization standard from 1% to 2% annually. 
-Remove the existing spending cap on Michigan's energy efficiency program.
-Ensure that "clean" or "renewable" energy is not redefined to include any fossil fuels, nuclear energy, or energy from incinerating wastes. 
-Ensure that customers are able to produce their own energy and are allowed to either use that energy themselves or sell it back to a utility company at full price, not a wholesale price.
-Lift the cap on net metering/distributed generation.
-Enable everyone to participate in community renewable energy projects.

Please vote NO on SB 437-438 in order to support clean air, clean water and clean energy.

TAKE ACTION: Tell Energy Committee Members to Vote for Clean Energy

The House and Senate Energy Policy Committees are reviewing Michigan's energy laws this fall. Will they decide to double down on dirty coal, fracked natural gas, nuclear and other polluting sources or will they move boldly toward a clean energy future? We have a chance to get more renewable energy and efficiency built into Michigan's energy policy but we need your help to make this happen.

PLEASE review the talking points below, and then call any of these State Representatives and Senators on the Energy Committees and tell them to vote in support of renewable energy and efficiency:


Senate

Committee Leadership
Sen. Mike Noffs (R-Battle Creek) Committee Chair, (517) 373-2426
Sen. John Proos (R-St. Joseph) Majority Vice-Chair, (517) 373-6960
Sen. Hon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor) Minority Vice-Chair (517) 373-7800

Southeast Michigan
Sen. Joe Hune (R-Hamburg) (517) 373-2420
Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Monroe) (517) 373-3543
Sen. David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) (517) 373-0994
Sen. Steven Bieda (D-Warren) (517) 373-8360

Mid-Michigan
Sen. Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth) (517) 373-1760
Sen. Mike Shirkey (R-Hillsdale) (517) 373-5932

West Michigan
Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton) (517) 373-0793


House
Committee Leadership
Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) Committee Chair, (517) 373-0839
Rep. Gary Glenn (R-Midland) Majority Vice-Chair, (517) 373-1791
Rep. Bill LaVoy (D-Monroe) Minority Vice-Chair (517) 373-1530

Southeast Michigan
Rep. Wendell Byrd (D-Detroit) (517) 373-0144
Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D-Detroit) (517) 373-2276
Rep. Derek Miller (D-Warren) (517) 373-1772
Rep. Julie Plawecki (D-Dearborn Heights) (517) 373-0849
Rep. Robert Kosowski (D-Westland) (517) 373-2576
Rep. Jason Sheppard (R-Clayton) (517) 373-2617
Rep. Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills) (517) 373-1773
Rep. Marilyn Lane (D-Fraser) (517) 373-0159
Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Oxford) (517) 373-1798
Rep. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Twp) (517) 373-0843

Mid-Michigan
Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Grand Ledge) (517) 373-0853
Rep. Brett Roberts (R-Clark Lake) (517) 373-1775
Rep. Rick Outman (R-Six Lakes) (517) 373-0834

West Michigan
Rep. Holly Hughes (R-Montague) (517) 373-3436
Rep. David Maturen (R-Marshall) (517) 373-1787

Northern Michigan
Rep. Scott Dianda (D-Calumet) (517) 373-0850
Rep. John Kivela (D-Marquette) (517) 373-0498
Rep. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) (517) 373-0156
Rep. Peter Pettalia (R-Presque Isle) (517) 373-0833
Rep. Triston Cole (R-Kewadin) (517) 373-0829

Please share this link with anyone who might be willing to help!

Thank you,

Mike Berkowitz

Legislative & Political Director

Sierra Club Michigan Chapter

109 E. Grand River Ave.

Lansing, MI 48906

Office: (517) 484-2372 Ext. 13 

Cell: (248) 345-9808

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Sierra Club's Clean Energy Talking Points

Sierra Club’s Recommendations [this is your main message to lawmakers]
· The Legislature should increase Michigan’s Renewable Energy Standard to 30% by 2030 and increase its efficiency standard to 2% annually. This would combat subsidies/costs of fossil fuels and promote meaningful progress in climate change mitigation.
· The legislature should ensure that customers are able to produce their own energy and sell it at full price.
· The legislature should enable everyone to participate in community renewable energy projects.
· The legislature should not weaken the definition of renewable/clean energy. Fossil fuels, nuclear energy, waste incineration, and pumped storage are not renewable energy sources. Energy sources that emit air pollution (including the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane), water pollution, and produce radioactive waste should not be considered “clean energy” in Michigan’s laws.

Support the Powering Michigan's Future legislation SB 295-297 and HB 4518-4519, HB 4055: increase Michigan’s renewable energy standard to 20% by 2022, gradually increase the energy optimization standard until reaching 2% annually in 2019 for electricity and 1.5% for natural gas, and eliminate the renewable energy surcharge.
Bill sponsors: Hoon-Yung Hopgood, David Knezek, Sam Singh, Marcia Hovey-Wright, Julie Plawecki.

Support the Bipartisan Energy Freedom legislation HB 4878-4881: remove barriers for businesses and individuals to generate their own energy and receive fair-value pricing. Enable community energy projects.
Bill sponsors: Gary Glenn, Ed McBroom, Scott Dianda, Jeff Irwin

Oppose SB 437-438 (Mike Nofs, John Proos): sunset Michigan’s Energy Optimization standard in 2019, repeal Michigan’s Renewable Energy Standard, establish a definition for “clean energy” that includes polluting fossil fuels, implement a voluntary green pricing program, eliminate net metering, destroy the distributed energy market, and replace standards with an Integrated Resource Planning process.

Oppose HB 4297-4298 (Aric Nesbitt): replace renewable energy/efficiency mandates with an Integrated Resource Planning process, establish an unenforceable 30% renewable/efficiency goal, and remove sustainability criteria for wood/tree biomass.

Background Information

In 2008, the Michigan Legislature passed the Clean, Renewable, and Efficient Energy Act (Public Act 295).
· The law put in place a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) that requires Michigan’s utility companies to generate 10% of their electricity from clean and renewable sources by 2015.
· The law also created an Energy Efficiency Program which requires Michigan’s utility companies to help their customers use energy more efficiently by 1% every year.

PA 295 of 2008 has been an unparalleled success, but we need to do more.
· Since 2008 we’ve seen a dramatic reduction in the cost of renewable energy, with the latest wind energy contracts coming in at less than half the cost of new coal and competitive with natural gas.[1]
· All major utility companies in Michigan have met the 10% renewable energy goal and 1% efficiency goal and have reduced/eliminated surcharges to pay for it. Despite overwhelming success, utility companies are pushing to end these standards and replace them with an Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process. States with an IRP but no RES or efficiency standard always result in less renewable energy and efficiency than states with standards.[2]
· Michigan’s Energy Efficiency program has provided the cheapest source of new power (over 6 times cheaper than coal) by shaving off demand for energy. For every $1 invested in energy efficiency, customers are saving more than $3.55.1 However, a spending cap in the 2008 law on the energy efficiency program prevents utilities from meeting their full customers’ demand.
· According to the Michigan Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) 2013 report, Michigan could achieve a RES of 30% without technical difficulties or increased costs.[1]
· PA 295 defined renewable energy to include solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal, and landfill gas.

Using more renewable energy and energy efficiency will reduce pollution, mitigate climate change, and give Michigan cleaner air and water.
· Fossil fuels create $523 billion of domestic public health and environmental costs annually and also receive over $500 billion in annual subsidies from our government.[3]
· Increasing our use of renewable energy and energy efficiency will give us cleaner air, protect our Great Lakes, reduce illness, and save lives.
· Michigan’s coal plants emit dangerous levels of toxic pollutants like mercury, arsenic and chromium. Coal plant pollution also triggers 68,000 asthma attacks and causes 180 premature deaths every year in Michigan.[4]
· Coal plants are the biggest point-source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, exacerbating climate disruption.[5]
· Natural gas is not an acceptable alternative because Fracking threatens our water and the extraction/pipeline process releases methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas emission.[5]

Increasing Michigan’s use of renewable energy and energy efficiency will create jobs and spark investment in our state.
· Renewable energy and efficiency are strong economic drivers, attracting investment and creating jobs that can’t be shipped out of state or overseas.
· Expanding our use of clean energy will build on our manufacturing strength and will allow us to retool and reopen closed manufacturing facilities.
· Michigan currently spends $24 billion per year importing fuel into the state.[6] 100% of our fuel for coal and nuclear power comes from out-of-state, 99% of our petroleum, and 80% of our natural gas as well.[7]
· Solar, wind and energy efficiency have no fuel costs and don’t send our money out of state.

Renewable energy and energy efficiency help rein in rising energy costs.
· Moving to clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency will make electricity costs more affordable for Michigan families, who recently experienced double-digit rate increases because of the state’s reliance on coal, nuclear and natural gas imported from other states.
· Renewable energy costs less than all other forms of energy. While the costs of new coal and nuclear energy range from $108-$133 per MWh and natural gas averages $67 per MWh, wind energy costs between $43-59 per MWh, while energy efficiency costs $11 per MWh.[1]

¹MPSC Report on the Implementation of PA 295, February, 2015 and “Readying Michigan to Make Good Energy Decisions – Renewable Energy”, September 2013, http://michigan.gov/documents/energy/re-execsumm-draft_434479_7.pdf

²ACEEE http://aceee.org/blog/2014/12/irp-vs-eers-there%E2%80%99s-one-clear-winner-
³International Monetary Fund http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2015/NEW070215A.htm and Harvard Study on the Life Cycle Cost of Coal http://www.chgeharvard.org/sites/default/files/epstein_full%20cost%20of%20coal.pdf

⁴Michigan Environmental Council Report of Public Health Impacts of Coal-Fired Plants in Michigan, 2011

⁵US Environmental Protection Agency Website

⁶ACEEE http://www.mwalliance.org/sites/default/files/uploads/ACEEE_2010_Kushler%20Presentation%20MI%20TLR%20October%202010.pdf

⁷US Energy Information Website

Ask Lawmakers to Move Forward for Clean Energy

CLICK HERE TO TAKE ACTION

Ask Lawmakers to Move Forward for Clean Energy

Michigan residents should be entitled to clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and affordable electricity. Depending on dirty fossil fuel energy sources like coal threatens the air we breathe and our Great Lakes, rivers and streams. In addition to harming our health, coal-generated electricity is expensive—coming in at almost twice the cost of recent wind contracts.  Clean energy such as wind, solar and energy efficiency are the solution to these problems.

Complete the form below in order to send a letter to your lawmakers asking for clean energy!

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THIS ACTION

Lame-Duck Session Brings Lame Enviro Proposals

Michigan Chapter Update December 7, 2014 In This Issue: Lame Duck, Lame Environmental Proposals Clean Energy Legislation Introduced, But Too Late for This Year Concerned About Food, Ag, Animals? Then Save the Date: March 9, 2015! Wayne County Exceeds Acceptable Levels of Sulfur Dioxide Looking for a Few Good Volunteers to Work on Oil & Gas Do You Have Design and Layout Expertise? Join the Sierra Club or Give the Gift of Membership Thank You! Lame Duck, Lame Environmental Proposals Pollution pours from an incinerator in Detroit. Legislation being considered in the lame-duck session in Lansing would allow the burning of old tires and solid waste to count as renewable energy. Sierra Club is currently battling two lame environmental bills the Michigan legislature is entertaining during its lame-duck session. The first is HB 5205, which would classify the burning of solid waste as a form of renewable energy and allow for the construction of new incinerators. Sierra Club opposes this proposal because waste incineration does not produce clean energy -- it emits more carbon dioxide per unit of energy than any other form of electricity, greatly contributing to the negative consequences of climate change. We're also fighting SB 910, which would prohibit the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from enforcing air pollution regulations on wood heaters. Unregulated wood heaters account for 13% of the country’s soot pollution and have major public health implications such as increased risk of heart disease, asthma, and lung disease. On the positive side, we support SB 795-800 which would increase prison time and fines for illegally introducing prohibited, non-native aquatic species (like Asian Carp or Zebra/Quagga mussel) into Michigan's waters. We also like HB 5397, which would allow municipal utility providers to fund residential clean energy programs through on-bill payments. This legislation is crucial to helping homeowners to get financing for efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects. Let your elected officials know how you feel about these four environmental proposals! Please take a moment to look up your State Senator and State Representative. Have questions or want to get involved? Contact Anne Woiwode at anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org or 517-484-2372 x 11. Clean Energy Legislation Introduced, But Too Late for This Year Three bipartisan bills to expand Michigan’s 2008 renewable energy and energy efficiency laws were introduced in November, just as the legislature entered its lame-duck session. The current law, which expires next year, mandates that electricity providers meet a 10% renewable energy requirement, and that electric and natural gas utilities achieve annual energy optimization standards. The bills, HB 5967(Schmidt), 5968 (Dianda) and 5969 (VerHuelen), are expected to be reintroduced in the 2015 legislative session. Sierra Club welcomes the long overdue debate on renewing and expanding the current clean energy laws, particularly because legislation under debate this year would gut the current laws. However, there are concerns that this package falls short on several counts. For example HB 5968 sets a strong but voluntary goal (unlike the 2008 law) for Michigan’s electric utilities to increase renewable energy by 1.5% per year in their generation portfolio.  “Michigan families from Ironwood to Monroe need Lansing to work as fast as possible to move our state beyond fossil fuels to protect health and fight climate change,” said Michigan Chapter Chair David Holtz.  “It's time to hold utilities like DTE and Consumers Energy accountable to what our state really needs--a clean energy future fueled by renewable energy.”  Watch this space for details about "Farming Our Future: The Forces and Faces of 21st Century Agriculture," a conference presented by Less=More on March 9, 2015. Concerned About Food, Ag, Animals? Then Save the Date: March 9, 2015 A groundbreaking conference exploring the political, legal, and historical forces that shape farming in Michigan today and how to chart a path to a more sustainable food system takes place March 9, 2015 on the campus of Michigan State University during MSU’s historic Agriculture and Natural Resources Week. Presented by the Less=More Coalition, Farming Our Future: The Forces and Faces of 21st Century Agriculture will channel diverse national, regional and local conversations about the environmental, economic and social impacts of modern agriculture into a comprehensive forum to facilitate joint efforts to build a better food system. Look for more details in this e-newsletter and on the Less=More Twitter feed @MoreforMichigan and on the Less=More Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/MoreforMichigan. Wayne County Exceeds Acceptable Levels of Sulfur Dioxide Wayne County is experiencing a crisis in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, a powerful pollutant that comes from coal plants and other sources that reacts with nitrogen oxide to create acid rain and can cause or aggravate health issues. People with cardiovascular disease or chronic lung disease, as well as children and the elderly, are most likely to suffer from health problems linked to elevated sulfur dioxide levels. Wayne County is the only county in Michigan to be designated as having SO2 levels that exceed what is considered acceptable. The Michigan Department of Environment Quality (MDEQ) is working to bring the levels under control, but the process, which requires a public hearing, has been delayed by months from its projected date already. Sierra Club is tracking the MDEQ as it develops a plan to ensure it includes a solution that addresses the heart of the problem -- 85% of all sulfur dioxide emissions in Wayne County come from three DTE Energy facilities, two of which are coal plants. A transition to cleaner energy is the only way to help ensure clean air for Wayne County residents. Click here to learn more.

Speak up for Consumers Energy to become a Clean Energy Leader!!

ARE YOU A CONSUMERS ENERGY ELECTRIC CUSTOMER WHO WANTS YOUR UTILITY TO USE MORE CLEAN ENERGY??  

Then we could use your help to tell the MI Public Service Commission (MPSC) that Consumers Energy should berequired  to do more to move toward clean energy! Right now, Consumers under a biennial review of its Renewable Energy Plan that they (and all Michigan utilities) are required to submit every two years regarding their progress toward their goal of 10% renewable power by 2015 (find the electronic docket here if you really want to get into the issue deeply!: http://tinyurl.com/CMSREPlan).  

Over the next few weeks, comments from the public (in particular Consumers ratepayers) can be submitted to the MPSC regarding this plan, giving you a chance to urge that the second largest electric utility put more truly renewable energy in place -- after all, they actually REDUCED the price of the renewable energy they are providing because it was a lot cheaper than they thought!   

 Here are THREE THINGS you can do to help:

1) Participate in a WEBINAR Friday morning, June 21, on Encouraging More Solar as part of Consumers Plan (details TBD): Brad Klein of Environmental Law and Policy Center and Douglas Jester of 5 Lakes Energy are planning a webinar, aimed mainly at the solar industry, to talk about opportunities to urge the MPSC to call for more solar energy as part of the Consumers Energy plan.  Please contact me if you would like to join the webinar (and please join it if you are going to attend the hearing!).

2) Attend the hearing on June 26th, 9 a.m., in Lansing: YOU can offer comments and urge the MPSC to require Michigan's biggest electric utilities to adopt Sustainable Clean Energy Plans so that the people of our state are ready for the future!

MPSC Hearing on Consumers Energy 

Renewable Energy Plan

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26th - 9 A.M. 

Constitution Hall, 525 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 

Questions about this? drop Anne Woiwode a note and I'll give you more information (anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org) - I'll be out of town until Saturday but can field your emails while on the road!

3) Submit written comments on line by sending your own letter to the MPSC: Written comments are also being collected by the MPSC, and you can go to our on-line alert to submit a letter (including some of your personal views) by going here: https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=11323

Want to do something else really cool? Take a tour of the Consumers Energy Lake Winds Energy Park near Ludington and you'll learn how the state's second largest utility is benefiting from investing in this clean, renewable energy source. That's why Consumers asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to lower the surcharge for renewable power a couple of years ago--because the cost was coming in much lower than expected! Yet, Consumers is still proposing a new power plant fueled by natural gas AND delaying the "mothballing" of seven coal-fired power plants to keep their coal-burning options open.

-- 

Anne Woiwode, State Director, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
109 E. Grand River Ave, Lansing, MI 48906
anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org   office: 517-484-2372 x 11

Support the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter - protecting, exploring and enjoying Michigan since 1967