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Campaigns

While coalition members are actively working on dozens of legislative priorities, there are three key campaigns that the coalition as a whole has prioritized. Learn more about our work to hold utilities accountable, save money through energy efficiency, and transition to clean energy, then take action!

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Hold Utilities Accountable

Utility companies in Michigan are out of control, with rising rates, regular outages, and constant shutoffs. It's time to finally hold them accountable.

Save Money Through Energy Efficiency

Too many Michigan families can't afford their rising utility bills. We can lower these costs and protect the planet by investing in energy efficiency.

Transition To Clean Energy

We know that Michigan can transition to 100% clean energy by 2035, ensuring our children have a healthy, livable future. With your help, we can make it happen. 

Additional Legislative Priorities

Transportation and Clean Mobility 

  • Achieve a 100% zero emission transportation system by 2040

  • Achieve 100% sales of electric vehicles by 2035

  • Achieve 50% greater access to public transit statewide by 2030

  • Reform transportation planning and funding to support the EV and public transit environment

  • Allow use of school sinking funds for EV buses (completed)

Homes and

Buildings

  • Utilize energy efficiency and electrification to achieve a 17% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 for all buildings

  • Set a requirement for utilities to provide demand response incentives for customers

  • Require at least 15% of Michigan’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) distribution be used on the Weatherization Assistance Program

  • Move towards  100% electrification of equipment sold for buildings by 2035

  • Increase the deed excise tax as a source of long-term funding for clean, affordable housing

  • Require EV-ready and electrification-ready building codes

Renewable

Energy

  • Enable community solar projects 

  • Remove the cap on distributed generation and restore net metering

  • Reform renewable energy siting processes

  • Set a statewide energy storage target of at least 2500 MW by 2030

  • Expand opportunities for customer storage systems to improve reliability and resiliency

  • Establish consistent taxation approach for solar projects (i.e., solar PILT)

  • Remove waste incineration and pyrolysis from definitions of renewable energy

  • Enable commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) to be used for more renewable energy and energy efficiency projects

Homes and Energy

Waste Reduction

  • Ensure incentives for utilities align to new energy savings standards

  • Emphasize building shell improvements in the gas EWR standard

  • Prohibit replacements of fossil fuel HVAC from qualifying under the gas standard

  • Carve out low-income programs to ensure low-income customers achieve similar savings as others

  • Allow fuel switching from fossil fuels to efficient heat pumps to qualify 

  • Reinstate the EWR requirements and savings standards for municipally-owned utilities and co-ops

  • Require regular utilities to offer deep energy retrofit programs; Implement on-bill repayment of energy improvements

Michigan Public Service Commission

  • Reform the cost-effectiveness test

  • Expand the MPSC’s mandate and purview to directly include equity, affordability, and climate

  • Direct the MPSC to prioritize the public interest by considering goals related to service quality, affordability and accessibility of utility service, environmental quality and public health, and other goals in all its decision

  • Require public hearings in contested cases of public importance with public comments considered part of case record

  • Empower the MPSC to review and override utility policies and practices that are prejudicial to the public interest, including Michigan’s most vulnerable, energy-burdened communities

  • Reform distribution system planning to create an adjudicated, contested case process

Action Opportunities from MEMJ Members

- Grassroots Sign-On from the Michigan Climate Action Network

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