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May 1

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Action alert: Help us stop bad land cap bill!

Michigan Distilled loyalists!

We need your help to put the brakes on some bad legislation (SB 248) that would cap the number of acres of land the state may own. It is being considered by the Michigan House Natural Resources, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee. 

The committee was expected to vote on the bill this morning, but postponed that decision. 

Below is the text of an Action Alert MEC Policy Director James Clift sent to our member groups.  We hope you’ll check out the alert, pick up the phone and help us block this shortsighted proposal.

You can find your State Representative here.

Thank you!

Read more

Apr 10

Tuesday Linkaround: Leelanau tops healthy list and U.P. mining gets national exposure

Or maybe it's Leelanau's grapes?

Michigan’s Leelanau County is at the top of the list of the state’s healthiest counties,  according to a recent study by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Parts of Southeast Michigan, the Grand Traverse area and West Michigan seemed to house most of the healthiest counties; check out where your county landed in the study. Do you think Leelanau’s ranking had anything to do with its utterly refreshingly lack of fast food restaurants?

Farther North yet, the Christian Science Monitor has surveyed the imminent mining boom in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with this reporting. The otherwise even-handed piece fails to note that the current type of mining is much different and riskier than the mining of the U.P.’s past. So-called sulfide mining is a explained here.

Moving into urban issues, the historic River Rouge coal plant was the largest of its kind on earth when it opened in 1956. Mother Jones has a terrific photographic essay on the aging plant’s visual legacy. Scroll down the photos far enough to see the Sierra Club’s indefatiguable Rhonda Anderson, along with a good analysis of how her organization (an MEC member and ally) is working not just to replace the behemoth with cleaner energy, but help the community better absorb the loss of jobs the plant’s closure will create.

One of the state’s most invisible environmental challenges are the thousands of leaking underground petroleum tanks across the state. These sites threaten drinking water, surface water, soils and in some cases public health. Here’s the first in a Bridge Magazine series done by Michigan journalist and author Jeff Alexander. He explains how if the state does not act decisively, the problem will only get more costly.

Hey, there’s good news too: The Federal Government and five states, including Michigan, have come to an agreement to expedite the process of building off-shore wind farms around the Great Lakes region.

Finally, under the heading clean technology, some crazy Belgian is trying make pigeons poop soap, to help clean the cities they now soil. MEC has no position on soap-pooping pigeons.

— Marco Salomone contributed to this post

Mar 30

Friday Linkaround!

Make fun of biofuels, will ya'?

A few links of interest and mirth for our weekend sendoff.

Retired military brass stormed Michigan Tuesday, telling state policy makers that climate change is the biggest threat to U.S. security.  It must be tough for the “it’s impossible, can’t be done” crowd, since it’s hard to pigeonhole these warriors as sissy tree huggers. So the “antis” stuck to scoffing at President Obama’s reference to algae as a promising biofuel. Ooops, again, the warriors are convinced about the value of biofuels. The Blue Angels have already used a 50/50 biofuel mix, and a number of jet models have been certified to use the renewable blend including the iconic A-10 “warthog” tank buster.

Kudos to General Motors, by the way, for pulling their funding from the Heartland Institute and its deceptive efforts to muddy the truth about climate.

Also of national energy interest, an Associated Press analysis published last week showed zero correlation between domestic oil production and gas prices. More drilling here and drilling now, it seems, makes imperceptible ripples in the ocean that is the international oil market. Designing strategies to use less may be our best option. Hey, didn’t the military brass just tell us that?

Closer to home, did you know that an Eaton Rapids company can machine wind turbine hubs eight times faster than any factory in China? Cool. Keeping that momentum going is the goal of the 25×25 renewable energy campaign that you’ll vote on in November if all goes smoothly.

Up in Port Huron, the Times Herald nailed it with their editorial on the proposed yard waste ban reversal. It would “help landfills and kick compost businesses to the curb” the Times-Herald concluded.  Amen.

Down in Berkley, high school students ate bugs to raise money for MEC member group, the SE Michigan Land Conservancy.  We’ll stick with policy work.

And across the state, morel mushrooms are making an early appearance due to the bizarre warm weather. Of course,  weather is not climate, which you’d know if you paid attention to last week’s excellent analysis by MEC’s Brad Garmon.

Have a fun and safe weekend….we’ll talk next week.

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Mar 15

Yard waste bill: Guaranteed bankruptcy

 

Update: The House just voted 66-41 to bankrupt the state’s composting business. We will move to the Senate to try and save this industry. — MEC

Yesterday we told you about the calamitous  legislation being pushed in the Michigan House of Representatives that would decimate Michigan’s composting industry. The bills would send yard waste into to landfills rather than to dozens of Michigan composting companies that are turning it into valuable, locally-made products.

Lobbyists for the dump industry — er, landfill industry — are at it again today.

We talked to Tom Turner this morning. He has five composting facilities across the state. “Guaranteed bankruptcy” is his assessment on the legislation. A real two-fer for legislators — legislation that kills jobs and hurts the environment.

Here’s our latest take. Now would be a good time to call your legislators!

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Mar 14

Caterpillar in landfill
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Wolves in sheep’s clothes

Beware wolves in sheep’s clothing. Or in this case the waste industry trying to cloak itself in green rhetoric.

The issue is legislation that recently passed out of the House Energy and Technology Committee to overturn the 17-year-old ban on yard waste going into landfills. It is on the floor of the House this week. It is a terrible idea on so many different levels that it’s hard to know where to start.

Let’s try:

  • It would result in significant and immediate layoffs of workers in the composting industry and the commercial businesses that sell compost products. Family business will go bankrupt. People would lose jobs almost immediately.
  • It would eliminate a significant source of nutrient rich compost that is rebuilding Michigan’s gardens, lawns and farms. Compost has micro- and macro-nutrients that commercial fertilizers lack.
  • It would fill Michigan’s landfills more quickly, and require more of them.
  • It will increase greenhouse gas emissions.

Details of the Michigan Environmental Council’s opposition are outlined in this letter to House members.

The powerful waste industry is touting the bills as a way to increase ‘renewable’ landfill gases that can generate electricity. But the gain – 30 mw of additional generation – is a pittance compared to the devastation the measure would wreak on family businesses across the state.

This is an issue where economic and environmental interests dovetail. The highest and best use of compost is not dumping it in a landfill. It is reclaiming the nutrients for use in farm field, vegetable gardens and landscaping.

Your state representative should be hearing from someone other than the waste industry lobbyists lurking in the shadows of the Capitol in dark trench coats (OK, we take poetic license!). Please call your rep today and let them know you oppose HB 4265 and HB 4266.

The yard waste ban is working, both for Michigan jobs and our natural resources. Let’s keep the momentum going.

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Mar 9

TGIF Linkaround!

Gotta make the boss happy so let’s start with this replay of MEC President Chris Kolb on last week’s Focus on the Environment show on Eastern Michigan University’s WEMU radio. Kolb, with co-host Lisa Wozniak of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, talked about Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget, the Kalamazoo River oil spill cleanup and other issues.

Next let’s visit our neighbors down south…you know, the ones we grudgingly sharedone-third of our Big Ten men’s basketball championship with this year.

Don't try this at home

They’re wrestling overhow much unregulated water users should be able to siphon from Lake Erie and its tributaries. We defer to our friends at the Ohio Environmental Council who say the proposal is getting better, but isn’t good enough. Oh, and see you in the Big Dance, Buckeyes!

Down in Brooklyn, MI, home of Pumpkin Quest (!), people turned out for a discussion on the rewards and risks of a new and more intensive wave of fracking in Michigan. MEC’s James Clift was a panelist, though he didn’t make this radio station’s audio clip report that included State Rep. Mike Shirkey, who organized the forum.

Up north, MEC ally and member group Michigan Land Use Institute has this excellent story on Consumers Energy’s solar lottery. Twice as many people applied for the program as there were slots. We think we should let more people participate, and the 25×25 ballot issue will be the way to do it. Or, we could just throw our burgeoning renewable energy industry under the bus like State Rep. Ray Franz would do.

In weather news …… WHASSSUP Springtime??!! MEC has two beekeepers in the office, and their girls were happy with the mild winter. But the loss of ice cover on the Great Lakes – 79 percent over 38 years – is no small matter. Also, we may see more nasty insects this summer as a result. Hey, maybe Grist is right and a climate change conspiracy theorists make no %$#!!& sense.

Finally, in the “we can’t make this stuff up” category, here are two things MEC is not staking out a position on:  This lunatic with a wood stove heater in his Volvo, and these people who are fertilizing soybeans with urine.

Have a good weekend, and don’t forget to spring ahead!

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Mar 7

Photo by Rod Sanford/Lansing State Journal
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Do Good, Have Fun!

Why is Michigan girl Allie Muchmore building a career here rather than in Chicago, Portland or Washington, D.C.? Our state’s tremendous natural resources, vibrant cities and sense of place have a lot to do with it. (photo courtesy Rod Sanford/Lansing State Journal)

 I’m a Michigan girl and I’m planning to keep it that way.

I could choose to move somewhere else. Lots of my friends have headed to Chicago, Washington, D.C. or other out-of-state destinations. I chose to stay, live and work in Michigan after graduating from college. Michigan has always had my heart, and now it has my dedication.

Why?

Have you seen one of those incredible sunsets over Lake Michigan you know you’ll never forget? Or dipped your toes into freezing Lake Superior or raced down the side of a sand dune so fast you didn’t think you’d ever stop? Tasted a perfectly ripe Michigan peach or a Michigan microbrew beer? Remember the perfect summer night by a bonfire where you laughed till you cried with friends and saw more shooting stars than you thought possible?

These are the experiences we Michiganders have in common—a sense of adventure, discovery and love for the outdoors. Read more

Mar 2

Linkaround: Lou Dobbs exposes us!

A compendium of the curious and interesting for a Friday afternoon:

Let’s get the serious stuff out of the way. First, a reminder that tree hugging and methamphetamine use don’t mix. Secondly, The Michigan Environmental Council has zero tolerance for turncoats who leak internal Lorax Strategy documents to Lou Dobbs so he can expose our secrets. Someone will pay.

If Dobbs’ revelation destroys environmental nonprofits, perhaps we can work for industry….for example, the Sierra Club is pitching this awesome job available by the oxymoronic Clean Coal Coalition! Or there’s the American Enterprise Institute, where they’re fond of pretty much just making stuff up.

Closer to home, we enjoyed this piece by Erin McDonough of MUCC on why legislators should keep their mitts off the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. Did you know McDonough grew up on Beaver Island in Lake Michigan. And that it once was ruled by a self-proclaimed king?

For more on really bad ideas, we turn to Rep. Ray Franz who wants to repeal Michigan’s renewable energy standard according to subscription-only MIRS news service report.

Let’s see here. Renewable energy is cheaper than new coal; creates jobs at more than 200 Michigan companies; reduces the billions we spend annually on out-of-state fuels; lessens pollution and improves public health; and is diversifying our state’s manufacturing base. So, yeah, let’s jettison it. Rep. Franz, you’ll recall, also wants to ban all research on offshore wind in the Great Lakes. Fortunately, Michigan’s renewable energy industry has matured to the point where it now has a fledgling trade group to stick up for it.

Finally, here’s some video of Lake Superior surfers during the Leap Day blizzard!

Have a great weekend!

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Feb 29

Power transmission lines

‘All of the above’

It is trendy these days to champion every imaginable energy resource under (and including) the sun. Who hasn’t heard a politician, pundit, so-called energy expert or even President Obama declare support for using all options at our disposal to solve the nation’s energy problems?

This frustrates me. The trouble, of course, is that money is limited.  Money you spend to build a new baseload power plant (with a life of more than 40 years) is not available to upgrade the grid or fund energy efficiency.  At the end of the day we need to decide:  how much money should we allocate to generating energy, upgrading the grid, and to energy efficiency?

Read more

Feb 23

Thursday Linkaround

Can a gun rack fit in a Chevy Volt? Yes it can!

On this date in 1945 U.S. Marines raised the now-famous flag on Iwo Jima, and in 1985 Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight infamously threw a chair across the court during a tirade. That has nothing to do with Michigan’s environment, but it’s a classic.  Today’s Linkaround, however, does connect to topics of interest for Michiganders and expats.

  • First, the International Joint Commission believes that micromanaging levels in Lake Ontario to keep them from fluctuating is bad for the environment, particularly coastal wetlands.  Marinas, shoreline property owners and others aren’t keen on letting nature have more of her way with lake levels.  The IJC you may recall, is former MEC President Lana Pollack’s new gig.
  • What a pleasant discovery in photographer Ed Wargin’s Fresh Coast Project with its terrific Great Lakes images.  On film – not digital – no less!
  • Canadian media are reporting that there is a surprising show of interest by the province of Ontario for a nuclear waste dump on their shore of Lake Huron.  That, you may recall from geography class, is across the lake from our shore of Lake Huron.
  • Speaking of Lake Huron, did you know that it and Lake Michigan are hydrologically the same thing?  And if you are fascinated by the lakes’ bottoms, this weekend’s Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival in Ann Arbor might be your thing.
  • If you read Tuesday’s Michigan Distilled post, you already know about this.  But here’s more from the Energy Innovation Business Council on how renewable energy is an economic driver in Michigan.
  • Finally, Newt Gingrich has taken a cue from the Chevy Volt bashers at the Detroit News’ editorial page.  He complained that you can’t put a gun rack in Volt. False, as this guy proves beyond a doubt.

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