The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is taking comments on the proposed expansion of Camp Grayling into surrounding state forest lands. An interactive map allows commenters to select the sites of concern and offer comments linked to those locations. Image from the DNR.
National Guard Training Center Seeks Huge Expansion in Mid-Michigan
Camp Grayling in mid-Michigan, already the largest National Guard training center in the United States, wants much more. Camp Grayling has asked the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to lease without charge 162,000 acres - more than 250 square miles - of state forest land for electronic and cyber warfare training exercises, more than doubling its footprint. The proposed expansion would create a total area of 484 square miles. By way of comparison, Crawford County is approximately 563 square miles in size. The DNR is admittedly too shorthanded to adequately monitor compliance.
While the Camp says that the exercises would not involve live fire or permanent changes in the land, portions of state forests, including well-used trails, would be temporarily closed for training exercises. Camp officials say that electronic warfare training will not disrupt civilian electronic devices, citing differences in frequencies and an effort to use “geofencing”, but little information been provided.
People living in these areas and recreation users have raised many questions. In a statement the Anglers of the Au Sable called this lease of land “a massive transfer from the DNR, introducing new uses and pressures to these fragile watersheds.” The group is demanding much more information on impacts on the ecosystems, streams, creeks and wetlands throughout the area. Unaddressed issues of concern include that proposed bufferx from streams and lakes are too small and there are possible impacts on wildlife. For example, will cyber warfare and increased activity interfere with Kirtland’s warblers and with aquatic and other insects? Possible negative effects on property values have also been raised.
The local Sierra Club Clearwater Conservation Committee is leading Club efforts to gather information and involve citizens in the DNR’s decision making. At the public forum on June 22 both the DNR and the military said much of the plan is still in the works. Many questions were left unanswered. Responding to the public expressions of concern and opposition, the DNR has eliminated the July 8 deadline it had set for public comments, now saying it will accept comments until a decision is finalized sometime in mid-to-late 2023.
The public is invited to provide comments, raise issues and express opposition on the DNR expansion map website. Click on the small envelope symbol in the upper left corner of the map, then click on the area of the map of most concern to enter specific comments. Mid-Michigan’s forest lands need the concerned public to speak up to ensure they are protected.
Election workers are on the forefront of defending the integrity of elections. Volunteer to help at the local polls. File photo.
Become an Election Worker to Protect Democracy
Election workers are democracy’s Most Valuable Players. Democracy is a team sport and every Election Day thousands of Michigan citizens come together to assist voters and process ballots.
Very large numbers of citizens are expected to vote by mail and also at polling locations, in part due to absentee ballot availability for all registered voters and eligibility for same day voter registration. One of the best ways to help today is by signing up to serve as an election worker on Election Day to assist voters and count ballots. Election workers are the front lines and guardians of democracy.
With increasingly brazen attacks on democracy and elections, election workers are pivotal to the success and integrity of these upcoming elections. 2022 is the first election under the new maps that were drawn by Michigan’s groundbreaking Independent Redistricting Commission, so there is no question about how historic this year’s election is. The new district maps have made Michigan ground zero for state legislative races in 2022.
Registered voters in Michigan are needed to step up and join others concerned about ensuring fair elections by becoming election workers. Learn more and sign up here. Anyone 18 or older who has not yet registered to vote can register to vote online and then sign up to serve as an election worker. Poll workers will be paid for their time on Election Day and will be a crucial part of the team helping to protect and defend Michigan’s elections.
Apply today and join the team. Democracy needs committed volunteers now more than ever.
The J.H. Campbell coal-burning plant will close 15 years earlier than originally planned as part of a settlement agreement with Consumers Energy approved in June. Photo by Jan O'Connell.
Settlement Moves Consumers Energy Toward Clean Energy
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a settlement in Consumers Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that secures 2025 as the retirement date for Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell coal plant, 15 years earlier than previously planned. The settlement helps ensure that Consumers Energy will replace most of that capacity with clean energy and battery storage, instead of with fossil fuels as previously proposed. $30 million in shareholder funds (not ratepayer funds) will also be allocated to low-income bill assistance by Consumers as a result of this settlement.
“On behalf of our 150,000 members and supporters across Michigan, we're proud of this historic settlement agreement, which will put Consumers Energy on the path to being one of the country’s leading clean energy utility companies," said Mike Berkowitz, Michigan Senior Beyond Coal Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club. "West Michiganders can breathe easier knowing the Campbell coal plant will soon stop polluting their air and water. As Consumers Energy plans to move beyond coal by 2025, we’re committed to working with them to ensure the utility plans for employee transitions, safely decommissioning the plant, and addressing environmental and economic impacts."
“This is another important step toward our critical clean energy transition,” said Shannon Fisk, Managing Attorney at Earthjustice. “With fewer polluting fossil plants in West Michigan, local residents can enjoy cleaner air, healthier lungs, and more low-income assistance for paying energy bills. We will all benefit from the reduction in emissions fueling the climate crisis. We look forward to continuing to work to ensure a just transition to a cleaner, healthier future.”
Sierra Club and a diverse coalition of more than 75 organizations, businesses and elected leaders also focused on influencing the IRP outcome through public campaigning and advocacy. The Campbell power plant is the 357th coal plant nationally and the 23rd plant in Michigan to announce that it will retire by 2030 eliminating the same amount of CO2 emission that nearly 1.8 million cars produce each year. Sierra Club was represented on the docket by Earthjustice and the law firm of Olson, Bzdok and Howard.
A typical ethanol plant in West Burlington, Iowa (Big River Resources, LLC). Photo by Steven Vaughn, courtesy of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
ACT: Tell Legislators to Say No to Ethanol Subsidies
The Michigan legislature is considering providing tax credits for ethanol production in Michigan. Senate Bill 814 would boost the production of biofuels, expand Michigan E15 use and offer qualifying retailers a tax credit for every gallon of biofuel sold. This bill is being pushed by the biofuels industry that want to carve out a place for themselves in the future of transportation. The reason is simple: the industry needs government to intervene on their behalf because technology and the free market are currently passing them by.
Ethanol is a fake climate solution. It is wrong for communities, the land, air, public health and water. Recent studies have demonstrated as much. Reuters reports that "The research, which is funded in part by the National Wildlife Federation and U.S. Department of Energy, found that ethanol is likely at least 24% more carbon-intensive than gasoline due to emissions resulting from land use changes to grow corn, along with processing and combustion.”
To address climate impacts and lower gas prices, investing heavily in a fully electric vehicle future is the far superior option. Furthermore, it would behoove the Michigan legislature to invest heavily in nonmotorized and public transit alternatives to reduce people's reliance on driving for all their needs. That means real investments in transit, walking and biking, as well as land use reforms and incentives.
Supposed “bridge” or “transition" technologies have minimal benefits at best, maximal damaging side effects and really serve only to delay the move directly to the carbon-free transportation future that must be embraced.
View the Sierra Club’s letter of opposition to the legislation for more details.
New information in a court filing shows shutting down Line 5 will cause very minimal increases in gasoline prices. File photo.
Updates on Line 5: Oil Spills and Bombshell Court Filing
Bombshell Court Filing
Enbridge has been emanating the storyline that gas prices will soar in Michigan if Line 5 shuts down. However, this propaganda has been debunked thanks to a recent bombshell court filing.
The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians sued Enbridge in 2019 after the massive pipeline company refused to comply with an eviction order for Line 5 on an expired easement across the tribe's territory. A recent filing by Enbridge in that federal case contained testimony from the company’s expert that revealed a Line 5 closure would increase gas prices by only half a cent per gallon. In contradiction to this expert opinion, Enbridge and allies continue to argue in the press and aggressive advertising campaigns that the shutdown would cause major financial disruptions.
"These figures hardly reflect the crisis from a Line 5 shutdown that Enbridge seeks to portray as established fact," said the Bad River Band in a court filing.
Two Michigan Oil Spills in One Week
On June 9 news broke of an oil spill in the St. Mary's River between Michigan and Ontario near the Soo Locks. The spill, reportedly 5,300 gallons of oil, originated from a leak at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie.
The U.S. Coast Guard temporarily shut down a portion of St. Mary’s River and the Soo Locks, halting vital commercial shipping traffic. According to the Coast Guard, no more than 40% of the oil will be recovered.
A second oil spill was reported on June 15 in Flint along an estimated 10-mile stretch of the Flint River. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says the spill is significant and originated from the Lockhart Chemical Company.
Commenting on these two oil spills, Sean McBrearty of Oil & Water Don’t Mix said “for the second time in one week, infrastructure that has been called ‘safe’ has failed, leaking oil into our waterways that can never be fully cleaned up. This should serve as a stark reminder of Enbridge’s nearly 70-year-old Line 5 pipeline, which is a constant oil spill threat located in the worst possible location for an oil pipeline failure.”
Join the fight to shut down Line 5!
Line 5 is a ticking time bomb. A rupture would be catastrophic, impacting up to 700 miles of coastline along the Great Lakes. Contact Julie Geisinger at julie.geisinger@sierraclub.org to stay up to date on the fight to shut down Line 5 or to get more involved as a volunteer.
A rebate program for electric vehicles can help make them more accessible to all income levels. iStock.com/Diversity Studio.
Bold Michigan Electric Vehicle Rebates Proposed
Earlier this year, Governor Whitmer laid out in the State of the State Address her plans to launch the first-of-its-kind program in Michigan to lower the cost of electric vehicles (EVs) for families. Gov. Whitmer proposed a $2,500 rebate for the purchase of an electric vehicle and charging equipment which will build on the $7,500 federal credit. The Sierra Club applauded the plan, and since the announcement the Governor has made a budget request for the program and legislation to institute this program. However, the state can do better.
That’s why last week Sierra Club, along with other partners, wrote to the Whitmer Administration encouraging their support for an expanded EV rebate program that focuses on access to EVs for low to moderate income people. The organizations recommended adding rebates for used EVs, a higher rebate for low-income EV buyers and an e-bike rebate to address equity. Increasing purchase incentives for EVs has been shown to have a significant effect on total EV sales, getting more people of all income levels into the driver seat of one.
While it doesn’t look like an EV rebate will be included in any budget deal, it could still be included in the ongoing budget negotiations that will resume when legislators return after the summer break. Follow updates on this issue in future Michigan Chapter Updates.
Microplastics are contaminating food and drinks. Photo from U.S. Geological Service.
Microplastics Are Contaminating Food and Drinks
A 2019 World Wildlife Fund report found that people ingest a credit card's worth of plastic every week. There are multiple sources of the plastic in food and drinks. Research shows that many foods harvested in the ocean are a significant source of plastic, including seafoods and sea salt. Recent studies of plastic in fish revealed there was more plastic in fish than the researchers anticipated. It also appears that the amount of plastic in fish is increasing over time.
Microplastics have also been discovered in vegetables. Minute plastic particles in the soil can enter the roots through small cracks. Fertilizers, compost and wastewater used in agriculture are sources of microplastics in soil, which can contaminate both conventionally grown and organic crops.
Bottled water and carbonated drinks in plastic containers significantly add to consumption of microplastics. Filtered tap water is a better choice when trying to avoid plastic consumption, although there is wide variability in the quality of filters so it is import to do research on the options.
Ingestion of microplastics causes a number of serious health problems. Ongoing research explores the possibility that breathing microfibers may cause lung cancer.
There is growing pressure on the chemical industry to take some serious steps to limit plastic manufacturing and to reduce its release to the environment. Concerned persons should contact their legislators and express support for addressing the growing problem of plastic pollution.
Volunteers Steve Brown and Herb Loner staffed the Ann Arbor Art Fair Sierra Club booth in 2021. Photo by Dan Ezekiel.
Ann Arbor Art Fair Volunteer Opportunity: July 21, 22 and 23
Please consider volunteering to help at the Huron Valley Group’s (HVG) booth at the Ann Arbor Art Fair, July 21, 22 or 23. This fun event includes interactive displays, kids’ activities and T-shirts for sale. This is HVG’s biggest tabling event of the year by far. Volunteers typically interact with hundreds of fair-goers, and this is a chance to put the Sierra Club’s best foot forward.
Specific instructions will be sent in advance to those willing to volunteer. Schedule a time to volunteer at this link.
Michigan Chapter internship training in 2016. Photo by Anne Woiwode.
Support Michigan Chapter's Internship Program
Interns with the Michigan Chapter have been one of the secrets to the Sierra Club’s success in Michigan for decades. Several hundred talented young people have brought excitement and a passion for protecting the environment. They work and learn with some of the best professional environmental advocates in the country. A lot is asked of those interns who often do the work to meet academic requirements, but every one of them is eager to understand how to be an effective voice for the future as they prepare to enter professional life.
Today the Michigan Chapter is proud that former interns Tim Minotas, Sarah Tresedder and Elayne Elliott are staff members leading the fight for a cleaner, greener and more democratic Michigan. Other former interns have gone on to run for office, lead electoral campaigns and work in organizations that share Sierra Club’s values.
The Anne Woiwode Fund was established in 2015 to ensure the chapter continues to have the capacity to support young people as they learn the ropes and become the effective leaders Michigan needs. The fund reflects the vision of the former Michigan Chapter director that one of the most important things to do for the planet is to prepare young environmentalists to lead the fight.
Consider a special donation to the Anne Woiwode Fund today. Contact Gail Philbin at gail.philbin@sierraclub.org for details about how to support this fund.
Sylvania Wilderness, Photo by John Rebers.
Lobby day and rally at the state capitol, file photo.
Explore and Enjoy: Inviting Submissions to the Michigan Chapter Monthly Photo Contest
Calling all photographers, nature lovers and Sierra Club fans! Starting this month, the Michigan Chapter will be hosting a monthly photography contest. The first Chapter Update of the month will contain a photography request to members and supporters. The second Chapter Update of the month will give folks a chance to vote for their favorite. The winning photo of each monthly contest will become the new Sierra Club social media accounts profile photo, will receive a highlight on our social media and more.
All credit for photographs will be given to the submitter/photographer. By submitting a photo to the chapter update contest you are:
Acknowledging that you are the original copyright holder for the photo or have the proper permissions from the original holder.
Giving Sierra Club Michigan approval to use submitted photos on Sierra Club platforms, including social media, email and the website.
Ensuring that you have consent from any individuals obviously visible in a submitted photo.
Take part in Sierra Club Michigan’s first photography contest by submitting your photograph here: Photo Submission Form.
Lake Michigan sunset near Glenn, MI. Photo by Anne Woiwode.
