LANSING, Mich. — In November 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a package of bills, placing the state of Michigan on track to radically change how we generate energy. The aim of this legislation is to protect Michigan's air, land, and water for future generations.
FOX 17 News spoke with theMichigan Environmental Council, asking them what this means for Michiganders and their organization. Beau Brockett, the communications manager for the Michigan Environmental Council, has seen the environmental adjustments for the state first hand. He recently wrote an article for the Michigan Environmental Council called, "We all benefit from new climate laws. Even me and you".
"I think back to a talk I had with Anne Woiwode, who is one of our founding members back in the 1980s. She was telling me how just 20 years ago, Michigan itself was still considering a number of coal plants to be built in our state," said Brockett. "Now, just 20 years later, which in the grand scheme of our history is very small, the end of coal is going to arrive within the next couple of years. I think that sort of transitional shift is really puts like this moment into perspective for us.”
That shift, coming in the form of the "MI Healthy Climate Plan", signed by Governor Whitmer on November 28, 2023. The laws call for 50 percent of the state's energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2030, which is just six years away. By 2040, 100 percent of our energy needs to be green.
It's a change that Beau Brockett says won't be immediately recognizable. The Michigan Environmental Council says it will take time, with small steps along the way.
FOX 17 spoke with Carlee Knott, the energy and climate policy coordinator for the Michigan Environmental Council. She says that people in Michigan might start to notice solar panels being installed or wind turbines going up in communities.
“When you flip on the switch in your house, by 2035, it'll no longer be powered by coal," said Knott. "Everything will be transitioning over to renewable energy resources, and then natural gas as kind of a last resort.”
As the energy and climate policy coordinator for the Michigan Environmental Council, Knott had a hand in Governor Whitmer's latest climate legislation. She said that she met with legislators hundreds of times within the last year.
“We were involved pretty much every step of the way with our advocacy," said Knott. "Our goal is trying to get the strongest environmental standards that these bills could have."
While the clean energy goals took the headlines, the Michigan Environmental Council says there will be other benefits, including our health. According the organization, the air quality will improve. This could benefit individuals with respiratory or heart concerns.
"The new legislation means that the fossil fuel plant that I would run cross country races right next to, and breathe in that air, is going to go away," said Brockett. "It means that I'll see better air quality in my hometown, which was just a few miles away.”
Wind turbines and solar panels are also anticipated to keep money in our pockets, according to the Michigan Environmental Council.
"It'll take time to build out the infrastructure for solar panels, the wind turbines, and the different energy storage that we need. So, there will be a little bit of an upfront cost. But, on a per megawatt hour basis, it's cheaper than coal. Coal is starting to become more expensive," said Knott. "Natural gas, the price of that fluctuates depending on the world markets. It's free to get wind and sun in Michigan, so those prices will be cheaper."
The laws also provide support to challenge utility companies to meet the green energy standards.
"One of the bills that we passed into law increases representation for community groups in that regulatory process. It triples the amount of funding for groups to be able to intervene. It also doubles the amount of funding for the Attorney General's Office, which represents the interests of the people," said Knott.
“That bill also expanded the mandate of our commission that oversees the utilities so that they are able to factor in things like equity, affordability, and the climate when they're making those regulatory decisions over the utilities,” said Knott.
According to the Michigan Environmental Council, these laws could end up adding jobs to the state of Michigan.
“A modeling report done by a few folks within the environmental sphere that said that we could see thousands of clean energy jobs being created in the next few decades,” said Brockett.
For more information about the "MI Healthy Climate Plan," click here. If you would like to be involved or learn more about the Michigan Environmental Council, here's a link to their website.
