Speaking at a solar farm in Traverse City, Mich., on Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) unveiled the state’s final proposed plan to go carbon neutral by 2050 while ensuring environmental equity and creating economic incentives for new businesses and jobs.
The plan has many of the same goals as the preliminary plan issued this past January: building the infrastructure needed for 2 million electric vehicles on state roads; cutting energy waste; electrifying buildings; phasing out coal-fired generating plants and having 60% of the state’s electricity generated by renewables by 2030; and improving the state’s lands and waters to help capture more greenhouse gases.
But in a reflection of comments received on the effects of climatic change on equity, the plan also includes a provision that at least 40% of state funds used for climate mitigation efforts go to economically disadvantage communities that are more directly affected by environmental pollution.
In making her announcement, Whitmer said the state has already seen the direct effects of climate change. For example, in the Traverse City area — the heart of the state’s cherry country — an unusually warm early spring in 2012 forced cherry orchards to bloom early, and 90% were later killed by a late severe frost, according to the plan.
Michigan must take more focused, intentional steps to slow and mitigate the effects of climate change, the plan says. If adopted, the state will be one of just 16 with planned efforts to control greenhouse gas emissions, it says. Whitmer said it “identifies actions we can take to address climate change head-on, lower costs for Michiganders, ensure every Michigan worker has a good-paying, sustainable job, and every family has clean air, water and a home powered by clean, reliable energy.”
The plan was developed by the Council on Climate Solutions — comprising 14 residents and the heads of several state departments — which met through 2021. It was created by Whitmer in 2020 when she signed Executive Order 182 and issued several executive directives to take action on climate change.
Along with outlining broad goals for reducing carbon emissions, the plan issues goals for making the effort affordable. During the drafting stage there were many comments by both council members and the general public on handling the costs of, for example, buying an EV or changing the heating and cooling system in a home. The plan calls for ensuring that low-income households have to spend no more than 6% of their income on powering and heating their homes.
To help develop renewable energy sources quickly, the plan calls for a system to aid in siting solar systems — though not wind farms — on publicly owned lands. It also calls for the state to develop at least 4,000 MW of storage capacity by 2040, with short-term goals of 1,000 MW by 2025 and 2,500 MW by 2030.
The plan also calls for creating a fund to provide financial incentives to buy EVs; considering incentives for electric off-road vehicles, boats and e-bikes; and boosting the use of electrified public transit by 15% each year.
During the public testimony phase, some environmental groups called for banning the use of natural gas. The plan does not include that provision, but it does call for building codes to encourage EV charging systems and further mitigate emissions.
It also outlines steps the state is already taking to reduce carbon emissions, as well as those it will take, such as ensuring that 100% of the state’s vehicle fleet be electric.
The plan received praise from a number of groups. Liza Wozniak, executive director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, said the plan is “a major proof-point that our state is committed to addressing the climate crisis by rapidly investing in clean, renewable energy to reduce pollution and ensure a healthy future for our children and grandkids.”
Derrell Slaughter, clean energy advocate for the Natural Resource Defense Council and a member of the state’s climate council, said, “The MI Healthy Climate Plan has the potential to help speed up our state’s shift to clean energy in a way that helps everyone.”