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Michigan Chapter Lansing Lobby Day
Wednesday, May 17
We are back in action with our first in-person Lobby Day since 2019! Not only that, this will be the first time in 42 years that Sierra Club citizen lobbyists will be speaking with members of a pro-environment majority in the State Legislature. Your participation is more important than ever. We cannot take anything for granted, and it is imperative that lawmakers know that Michiganders want action on environmental priorities NOW.
Sign up today and join us for a day of education and advocacy. This year, we will focus on lobbying around energy issues impacting our state and communities. We will be announcing specific topics and legislation soon!
Straits of Mackinac in a screenshot from Enbridge Line 5: A Battle for the Future of the Great Lakes. Photography by Adam Wells for SIERRA Magazine.
The Fight to Shut Down Line 5 Goes Nationwide: This week the fight to shutdown Enbridge Line 5 has gone nationwide with a SIERRA Magazine spread and video, Enbridge Line 5: A Battle for the Future of the Great Lakes. The feature article and short film shine a spotlight on the threat posed by this dangerous, deteriorating oil pipeline as it passes through the Straits of Mackinac. Michigan tribes, businesses and environmental organizations have worked hard to shut down Enbridge’s 70-year-old oil pipeline in the Straits for a decade. That work led to Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel pursuing lawsuits to shut down Enbridge Line 5, which the massive Canadian pipeline company has tied up in the courts.
It is time for President Joe Biden to take action to enforce the shutdown of Enbridge Line 5 ordered by Michigan’s leaders, an essential step to protect the Great Lakes and the future of Michigan, as well as to fight climate change. Click the button below to act today and share this with your friends and family to join the fight.
Detroit line repair (l). Photo by Jim West. Highland Park Mayor Glenda McDonald and Sierra Club volunteer James D'Amour testify before the House Energy, Communications and Technology Committee on March 15. Screenshot from committee video.
Mad at DTE or Consumers Energy? Tell the MPSC! The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) will host two in-person town halls on March 20 in areas hit hard by the most recent ice storms, which left hundreds of thousands of individuals and families without electricity. PLEASE NOTE THE CORRECTED TIME FOR THE JACKSON HEARING.
The MPSC will also hold a virtual town hall meeting livestreamed over Microsoft Teams, March 21, 6-8 p.m. A link to participate through Microsoft Teams will be posted closer to the day of the virtual town hall on the event’s webpage.
Legislative Hearing on Utility Outages: On March 15, the Michigan House Energy, Communications and Technology Committee held a hearing on the power outages with testimony from DTE and Consumers representatives as well as the head of the MPSC. Impacted community members testified powerfully about the extensive economic, emotional and physical damage caused by the power outages. Sierra Club volunteer leader James D’Amour, who has accrued $20,000 in damages, spoke about his family's devastating experiences with DTE's failure to address years of problems. Check out the recording here.
EPA's new standards limit PFAS in drinking water. File photo.
EPA Introduces New Standards for PFAS: Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its first-ever regulatory standard for two types of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or “forever chemicals,” proposing a limit of no more than 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for each chemical in drinking water. EPA’s announcement about the hazards posed by small amounts of PFAS ingestion confirms the wisdom of actions in Michigan to limit the public’s exposure to PFAS, including Attorney General Dana Nessel’s fight to hold corporate polluters accountable for the cost of dealing with PFAS pollution.
Michigan legislators now must lead the way and remove legacy state-level barriers. These include repealing the “no stricter than federal” law to allow the state to continue to limit public exposure to PFAS. Michigan legislators and regulators need to push for other state level protections against PFAS, which are faster to implement, can be more tailored to Michigan's specific concerns and therefore are a better way to prevent pollution and protect health. Read the Michigan Chapter's response to the EPA's action here.
Dr. Shalanda Baker of the U.S. Dept. of Energy will speak on April 20. Photo courtesy of the Wege Foundation.
Wege Speaker Series: Environmental Justice and Energy. Dr Shalanda Baker will be featured at the 26th Annual Wege Speaker Series on Thursday, April 20. The 4:00 p.m. program will be presented virtually. Dr. Baker is the director of the new Office of Economic Impact and Diversity within the U.S. Department of Energy. Her talk will focus on environmental justice and energy policy, a topic of tremendous concern throughout Michigan. To find out more about this important presentation, sign up to attend or ask questions email jan.oconnell@sierraclub.org or call 616-956-6646.
VOTE in the Sierra Club National Board Election: The national Sierra Club Board of Directors election is underway, and your vote matters! Members received their ballot in early March either by mail or electronically. The ballot is accompanied by information on the candidates and where Sierra Club members can find additional information located on the Sierra Club’s website.
Michigan Chapter Endorsement: The Michigan Chapter recommends a vote for David Holtz in the upcoming election for the Sierra Club's Board of Directors.
Brother Thomas at a Michigan Chapter Executive Committee meeting. File photo.
In Memoriam: Brother Thomas Zerafa. Environmentalists throughout Michigan are mourning the passing of Brother Thomas Zerafa, a compassionate soul, Franciscan monk and Sierra Club activist. Brother Thomas fought climate change, advocated for those suffering from environmental injustices and was a frequent voice in public hearings on industrial pollution around the 48217 zip code as a volunteer with the Beyond Coal Campaign. In accordance with his wishes, he was interred in a green burial. Friends and family will gather on Friday, April 14, from 9:30 a.m. until time of memorial Mass at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church, 730 S Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. His obituary is here.
We Can't Do It Without You!
Members and donors like you are the lifeblood that fuels our grassroots work to protect the Great Lakes state. If you have made a donation to support the Michigan's Chapter March Campaign, THANK YOU! If not, please take a moment to keep our Chapter powerful by making your gift, especially if you've never given before. Any amount is appreciated and makes a big difference and 100% of your donation to the Michigan Chapter's March Campaign stays in Michigan. Email laura.zylstra@sierraclub.org if you have questions or need information about other ways to donate -- and thank you!
Photos from past Earth Day Lakeshore Celebrations. Photos by Jan O'Connell.
Explore and Enjoy: Earth Day Lakeshore Celebration
Saturday, April 29
Grand Haven
Spend the day enjoying the Green March, music, food, horse and cart rides, booths and displays. A special art project will allow everyone to use found and discarded objects to make a single masterpiece. Electric vehicles will be on display to allow participants to learn about and inspect them. Find details here or contact tamara.horne@sierraclub.org for more information.
