April 12, 2023 ~ Michigan Senates Democrats recently announced a slate of legislation that aims to make Michigan’s public utilities carbon-free by 2035.
According to an article from Bridge Michigan, the bills include requirements to stop the utilities from burning coal for electricity by 2030, and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.
The package of bills, called the Clean Energy Future Plan, would also allow the Michigan Public Service Commission to consider the environment, as well as equity and public health factors when making decisions on utilities, according to the Detroit News.
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April 13, 2023 ~ Director of Environmental and Energy Affairs at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce Mike Alaimo reacts to the proposed carbon-free utility legislation from Michigan Senate Democrats from a business perspective.
(CONTINUED) “It allows protection of our residents, protection of our rates, and then it allows for us to tackle a very difficult issue, climate,” said Sen. Sam Singh, (D-East Lansing), in the Detroit News.
In the article from Bridge, Senate Democrat spokesperson Rosie Jones clarified the bill would require “carbon-free” energy, but did not specify whether that will allow companies to continue to use fossil fuels with carbon capturing.
This plan falls in line with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Healthy Climate Plan,” which aims to make Michigan achieve economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050, with reductions of 28% by 2025 and 52% by 2030.
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