EGLE seeks voices on state climate action choices

In the lane, snow is glistening. And around the state, EGLE is listening.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has launched a round of virtual listening sessions on priority action areas in the MI Healthy Climate Plan, the state’s road map to a prosperous, sustainable, clean energy future for all Michiganders. The listening sessions build on years of dedicated work and public input on Michigan climate action and will help organize and influence near- and long-term measures.

Whether you're a community member; an expert or advocate; a local or state government employee; or part of a nonprofit, business, or other group, your participation in these sessions can help guide Michigan’s future climate actions.

The next session, from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, focuses on electrifying vehicles and increasing public transit, including the following areas:

• Boosting electric vehicle (EV) adoption: Building more EV charging stations and ensuring fair access for all.
• Expanding public transit: Improving routes, reliability, and just access to transit and nonmotorized travel.
• Electrifying public fleets: Electrifying public vehicles and prioritizing low-income and underserved communities.

Following an introduction from EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy (OCE), participants will have three minutes each to speak.

Future sessions, also at 6 p.m., are scheduled Dec. 18 (repairing and decarbonizing homes and businesses), Jan. 16 (driving clean innovation in industry), and Jan. 22 (protecting Michigan’s lands and waters).

Anyone who can’t join at these times and dates is invited to share input by emailing EGLE-OCE@Michigan.gov. More information is available at Michigan.gov/Climate.

The series’ first virtual session, on cleaning the electric grid, took place Nov. 20 and covered topics such as improving siting for renewable energy and energy storage across Michigan, including on brownfields and former industrial sites; emphasizing equitable access for Michigan’s low-income and disadvantaged communities; and investing in energy storage and electric grid infrastructure to retire coal-fired plants sooner and better integrate renewable energy into the grid. View the recording.

“As we further analyze the state greenhouse gas inventory and decide strategy to implement the MI Healthy Climate Plan, we want to hear from Michiganders on which climate actions to prioritize,” said Cory Connolly, chief climate officer in EGLE’s OCE. “These public listening sessions are an opportunity for us to update the public and, more importantly, gain feedback from the public on what we’re doing right and what we could do better.”

About the MI Healthy Climate Plan

The MHCP charts a pathway for Michigan to reach 100% carbon neutrality by 2050. It has seven objectives:

• Mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.
• Spur economic development and create good-paying jobs.
• Protect and improve the health of Michiganders.
• Position Michigan as a leader in climate action.
• Protect our natural resources and wildlife.
• Make Michigan energy independent.
• Address environmental injustices.

The plan’s “Roadmap to 2030” recommends actions to equitably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 52% from 2005 baselines by 2030.

In 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer tasked EGLE, through the OCE, with developing a state action plan to reduce GHG emissions and transition toward economy-wide carbon neutrality.

Hundreds of Michigan residents – including leaders and advocates in Environmental Justice, public transit, local food, climate action, business, labor, academia, government, and people of all political persuasions and walks of life – provided input before the plan was unveiled in April 2022.

The OCE produces an annual report detailing progress on the plan. The 2024 report is expected in January 2025.