S.B. 954, proposed by the chemical industry, could aggravate pollution in communities of color while providing no solution to massive plastic pollution problems today. Photo of industry on the Detroit River by Anne Woiwode.
Take Action: American Chemistry Council Pushing Plastic Burning Legislation
The plastics and chemical industry, represented by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), is leading efforts to make legislative changes to statewide policies to promote chemical recycling as a solution to the plastic pollution and climate crisis. The fact that much of what the industry calls chemical recycling or advanced recycling is actually plastic-to-fuel, or turning plastic back into a fossil fuel to be burned, which exacerbates climate change. Unfortunately, in Michigan chemical recycling may become a regulatory certainty through Senate Bill 954.
Chemical recycling has many serious environmental and public health concerns. The process:
Releases toxic chemicals, many of which are known carcinogens.
Has a large carbon footprint, requiring a great deal of energy to function, and in many cases uses more energy than it can produce.
Cannot produce and work at scale.
Requires substantial investments leading to high operating costs, making the process less viable than virgin plastic production.
Does not fit into the circular economy concept where materials are recycled into new products because most operations end up burning the recycling outputs as fuel.
Worsens environmental injustice, as chemical recycling facilities are often located in communities that are disproportionately low income and communities of color.
While some operations claim they create new plastic from old plastic, little evidence exists to prove this assertion. This practice is a distraction from real solutions. Reducing the amount of plastic produced and transitioning to zero waste systems are far more beneficial than wasting time and resources on incinerators disguised as recycling plants. Senate Bill 954 is just an elaborate and expensive plan to promote dirty waste-to-energy practices by the plastics and chemical industries. It needs to be stopped!
Contact your Michigan State Senator at the button below and tell them to oppose Senate Bill 954.
The application of industrial waste products to farm fields has led to PFAS contamination of agricultural operations. Photo courtesy of Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan.
Industrial Waste Disposal on Michigan Farmland Points to National Nightmare
Under Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s leadership, Michigan is leading national efforts to investigate the sources of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination in groundwater and surface water. These groundbreaking data-collection projects, headed by the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART), have shed light on past and possibly ongoing practices of spreading contaminated industrial waste on farmland by reclassifying the waste as “beneficial soil conditioner.”
This week a major farming operation in Michigan, Valley View Pork, which was recently sold to Jackpine Holdings, is grabbing headlines because of the legacy toxic PFAS contamination on their properties due to decades of spreading leather tannery waste on agricultural land. Sierra Club Michigan and its network of volunteer leaders pieced together the complicated web of regulatory gaps and oversights that encourage the spreading of toxic industrial waste on agricultural lands. Sierra Club efforts show that the practice of waste disposal on farmland poses huge concerns for agricultural safety nationally.
“Sierra Club applauds Michigan for leading the country in finding contamination hotspots but we need an upstream solution. Farmers shouldn’t have their livelihoods threatened because of contamination from other industries and the public shouldn’t be worried how this impacts our food supply. We must ban the sale and use of PFAS and we should stop spreading industrial waste on agricultural lands,” said Christy McGillivray, political and legislative director for Sierra Club Michigan. “Other states should learn from Michigan to identify places where tannery or other industrial wastes have been land applied, and we must determine the hazards these practices pose to the industrial food supply and nearby water sources.”
Read more about the farm-field contamination with PFAS in the national Sierra Club press release here. For more information about PFAS contamination click here.
Accomplishing Michigan's climate goals is urgent and legislators need to hear from their constituents now. Photo of East Lansing Community Solar installation by Anne Woiwode.
Michigan Chapter Virtual Citizen Lobby Day Recap
On May 11 more than 90 citizen lobbyists took to the phones, email and social media to contact state legislators for the Michigan Sierra Club's Spring Virtual Lobby Day of Action. More than 20 people participated in 17 virtual meetings with lawmakers. Due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic and Sierra Club guidelines to ensure the health and safety of everyone, the Michigan Chapter continued its lobbying efforts entirely through electronic means and virtual meetings with lawmakers. And it was a great success!
Volunteer lobbyists met with and contacted lawmakers’ offices with urgent calls for action in support of renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean transportation. With the announcement of Governor Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan (MHCP), the time is now to demand large-scale, transformational investments and the removal of barriers to address the climate crisis.
The MHCP builds on the success of the clean energy industry, the fastest growing sector of Michigan’s economy. Citizen advocates need to make sure that the goals of the MHCP become a reality, and Michigan state lawmakers will play a critical role in implementing it. However, implementation of this plan could be in jeopardy with massive budget cuts coming from the legislative majority. Republican legislative leaders released a proposed state budget that would slash a record amount of funding needed to implement the MHCP. The Sierra Club volunteer lobby corps are pushing lawmakers to support not only the MHCP but also a strong environmental budget critical for success.
Thanks to all who participated in taking action to let Michigan legislators know how important it is for them to step up to support real, substantial investments in Michigan’s clean energy and transportation future. Those who weren't able to attend can take action below to let their state lawmakers know how important this issue is for ensuring today’s leaders leave a healthy Michigan for future generations.
Contact Tim Minotas at tim.minotas@sierraclub.org for information about how to engage on Sierra Club’s legislative work.
These are essential days for the planet, Michigan, communities and families everywhere. Join in a day of idea sharing, networking, inspiration and advice on how advocates can move Michigan to an equitable, carbon-free future. Panels will cover state policy initiatives including the MI Healthy Climate Plan and communities leading the way on climate action.
Keynote speakers will be Dr. Jonathan Overpeck and Marnese Jackson:
Dr. Overpeck is an interdisciplinary climate scientist and dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. He served as coordinating lead author for the Nobel Prize-winning IPCC 4th Assessment in 2007. Dr. Overpeck has published more than 220 works on climate.
Marnese Jackson is an environmental and climate justice activist. She is a member of the State of Michigan Council on Climate Solutions and has worked with Mothers Out Front. Currently, Ms. Jackson serves as co-director of Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition.
Panel at Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK) with (l to r) Sierra Club's Chris Hill, OAK award winner Uriel Llanas, National Park Service's George McDonald and OAK Steering Committee member Autumn Saxton-Ross. Photo by Garrett Dempsey.
Detroit Outdoors Partner Recognized for Youth Outdoor Advocacy
Uriel, as part of his work with the Detroit Outdoors Collaborative, traveled to D.C. for the annual OAK Week advocacy gathering. In addition to being honored with a handful of other advocates and elected officials, Uriel spoke on a career pathways panel that included Sierra Club Our Wild America Campaign Director Chris Hill, and the Chief of the National Park Service Youth Programs Division George McDonald.
Uriel wrapped up his OAK Week visit with an afternoon of visits to Senate offices on Capitol Hill, including a visit with Senator Debbie Stabenow's staff.
A stand of hemlock trees on Michigan State Forest lands. Photo by Marvin Roberson.
Clarification: Carbon Offsets for Forests
In the May 22, 2022, Michigan Chapter Update, Forest Ecologist Marvin Roberson wrote "Beware Utility Upcharges for 'Carbon Credits'" about forest-based carbon offsets. Below is a clarification provided by Roberson regarding the article.
Forest-based carbon offsets are where a forest landowner gets paid to harvest fewer trees, thus keeping the carbon absorbed by the trees out of the atmosphere. I advised members to decline to pay extra on their utility bills for carbon offsets.
An alert reader pointed out that I was not exactly clear in what I was advising, and that it sounded like I was opposing all forest-based carbon offsets. Upon re-reading my alert, it is clear that this reader was correct, and that I had not been clear.
So let me be clear now. Sierra Club does not oppose all forest-based carbon offset programs. We do oppose the DTE/DNR program, which has shown up as an option in recent statements to DTE customers.
While we do not oppose all forest-based carbon offset credit programs, we do insist that they be meaningful in order for us to support them. That is, the forest landowner must actually be reducing harvest levels and thus increasing the amount of carbon stored in the trees.
If the carbon credit payments to the landowner do not result in increased stored carbon, then the payments are meaningless. This is why we oppose the Michigan DNR/DTE carbon credit program. The DNR has made very clear that this program will not result in any change in harvests, and thus will not increase stored carbon in any way.
So just to be clear: Sierra Club does not oppose all forest-based carbon credit programs. We do oppose the Michigan DNR/DTE program, and we advise their customers to decline to make the extra payment offered on their DTE bill.
Thanks to the alert reader for pointing this out and allowing me to clarify.
Sierra Club volunteers participated in cedar tree planting and cage building along the Au Sable River in 2009. File photo.
Au Sable Cedar Tree Project: June 15
Sierra Club volunteers have helped plant cedar trees and install cages to protect them with Cedars for the Au Sable and the Anglers of the Au Sable for more than a decade. Cedar trees provide shade and help water quality in cold water rivers like the Au Sable. Unfortunately, they have been overbrowsed by deer to the point where new trees rarely grow to full size. Cages are placed around newly planted trees to protect them from damage.
The Anglers of the Au Sable are hosting a cedar cage servicing outing on Wednesday, June 15, starting at 9:30 a.m. The work will be done on the west side of the Au Sable River in the Deward area. Food and beverages will be provided to participants afterward. Please RSVP to Jim Shiflett of the Anglers at j.shiflett@live.com or (517) 930-0622.
Upper peninsula shoreline. Photo by Gail Philbin.
A Will is a Way to Protect Michigan's Wild Places
Leave a gift in your will and help protect wild places and wildlife for generations to come.
By including the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter in your will or trust, you can help carry the work forward to heal and preserve local Michigan communities, wild places and our planet. It costs you nothing now and you can change your mind at any time.
For more information regarding placing the Michigan Sierra Club and/or the national Sierra Club in your will or estate plans, contact gail.philbin@sierraclub.org.
Together, we will defend our natural areas and everyone’s right to enjoy them today and for future generations.
Notice: Temporary Staff Shortage May Limit Responsiveness
The Sierra Club Michigan Chapter greatly appreciates the generosity of our members and supporters. Your financial contributions are what have kept us strong for 55 years in Michigan. We have always strived to thank you for your donations in a timely fashion, however our system may be a bit slow this summer as we juggle some staffing shortages. Please know that we are working hard to process your gifts and acknowledge them promptly. We appreciate your patience. Thank you!
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness was the site of one of three 25th Anniversary celebrations for the Michigan Wilderness Act in 2012. Sierra Club leaders atop the dunes following the celebration (l). Photo by Anne Woiwode. Senator Carl Levin (r) ensured Nordhouse Dunes was part of the wilderness legislation. Photo by Gail Philbin.
Explore and Enjoy: Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness
Sierra Club Victories Series: Part 3
One of the most beloved Michigan Forest Service Wildernesses was almost left out of the Congressional designation in the mid-1980s. The Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness in the Manistee National Forest on the Lake Michigan coastline between Ludington and Manistee was proposed to be cut from the Michigan Wilderness Act by the Reagan Administration’s U.S. Forest Service.
In the fall of 1986, just days before the U.S. Senate was to act on the legislation proposed by the late Michigan Senator Carl Levin to designate 10 Michigan wildernesses, the Forest Service reversed itself and announced they would oppose the designation of Nordhouse Dunes, citing privately held oil and gas rights under the area. Sen. Levin was irate at the last-minute gambit by the agency to exclude the only area proposed in the lower peninsula and killed the bill in 1986. He and the late Congressman Dale Kildee reintroduced the legislation in early 1987 with Nordhouse Dunes included. The bill passed both houses before the end of the year and was signed into law by President Reagan.
Efforts to drill for oil within the area were blocked by the administration of Gov. James Blanchard based on the sensitivity of the area and the new technology allowing for directional drilling. However, then Michigan State Senate Majority Leader John Engler arranged for the payout of a massive settlement payment to the oil rights holders after an Ingham County court ruled against the state in a poorly reasoned decision. The end result is that Nordhouse Dunes is protected from oil and gas development as well as logging, road building or other development in perpetuity.
The popular wilderness offers quiet recreational activity in hardwood forests, wetlands and classic Lake Michigan sand dunes. A section of Nordhouse Dunes is part of the “largest expanse of wind-blown dunes and interdunal wetlands adjacent to fresh water in the world” according to the Northern Research Station of the Forest Service. The exceptionally beautiful three mile sugar sand beach is part of the longest undeveloped stretch of shoreline along the Lake Michigan coast.
Hiking, swimming, nature study, cross-country skiing and camping in keeping with restrictions are allowed activities, while all motorized or mechanized activities including mountain bikes are banned. Access by foot is available from the neighboring Lake Michigan Recreation Area or at the end of Nurnberg Road on the south end of the wilderness.
