Since the 2024 election, environmentalists have largely accepted that they are fighting a defensive political battle and are working to limit their losses. With Republicans holding both houses of Congress, the presidency and gaining control of the state House, those expectations have proved accurate.
At the federal level, Republicans have been relentless in reversing clean energy progress, rolling back nearly all of the legislative gains made through the Inflation Reduction Act and other legislation enacted under President Joe Biden. The Trump administration has kept aging coal plants open past their scheduled retirement dates by declaring an energy emergency that industry experts say does not exist. In addition, the administration has halted five major offshore wind projects that would have generated electricity for 2.5 million households.
At the state level, Republican House Speaker Matt Hall has taken pride in passing fewer bills under his leadership than at any time since the State of Michigan achieved statehood. One of the few bills the House passed undoes the clean energy legislation, PA 233.
However, there is a ray of hope for the environment. There is an acute housing shortage nationwide, especially in Michigan. The legislature is feeling pressure to address the issue. One sensible solution is to build new housing on properties abandoned by industry and the populace. These abandoned properties have existing infrastructure to support the building of new communities where previously abandoned homes once existed. They have water, sewer, power, roads and other infrastructure already in place.
The Sierra Club supports the bipartisan Housing Readiness Plan and Smart Stair Reform packages of bills which will help slow the spread of urban sprawl and reduce the pressure to develop farmland and greenfields.
Where and how we build matters. By allowing more housing in areas already served by roads, water and sewer systems, Michigan can accommodate growth while reducing pressure to develop farmland, forests and other natural areas. More compact development can also reduce energy use, support transit and walkability, and increase affordable housing access for low and moderate income households. It is a win-win set of bills that has bipartisan support.
We celebrated the passage of Smart Stair reform bills HB 5570 and 5571 in the state house this month. Please contact your state representative and tell them to support the following Michigan House Bills to keep this momentum going: HB 5529 through 5532, HB 5581through 5585, HB 5570 and HB 5571. Find how to contact your representative here.
For additional talking points or to comment contact Mike Buza at theoriginalzuba@yahoo.com or Marta Johnson at marta.johnson@sierraclub.org