It’s time to lead: Citizens Groups React to Gov. Snyder’s Energy Framework for Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News from Clean Energy Now

December 19, 2013

Contact: Marissa Luna, 989-798-3051, marissa@progressmichigan.org

It’s time to lead: Citizens Groups React to Gov. Snyder’s Energy Framework for Michigan

Clean Energy Now coalition calls for action on clean energy policies

LANSING – Citizen groups criticized Governor Rick Snyder today for failing to lead on clean energy when releasing his energy framework for Michigan. The comments came after the governor, the Michigan Energy office, and the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) wrapped up a yearlong discussion on the future of Michigan’s energy policies. The discussion compiled data and significant public comment on Michigan’s energy issues. Yet, the governor did not propose any specific changes to the state’s renewable energy and energy efficiency standards, casting doubt on whether he considered the recommendations from these statewide findings.

“Governor Snyder has done his due diligence and studied this issue intensely for over a year, now it’s time to lead,” said Tiffany Hartung, a Beyond Coal campaign representative for Sierra Club. “He must take action now to ensure that Michigan’s clean energy economy will grow and thrive. The longer we wait to increase these standards, the more businesses will start to close and lay off their workers after the state’s current renewable energy and energy efficiency standards are met in 2015.”

Michigan still gets more than half its electricity from coal-fired power plants while the national average is 38 percent. Burning coal is the number one source of mercury pollution in the Great Lakes, which leads to contamination in fish and consumption advisories. It is also the leading trigger of asthma attacks, costing Michiganders billions of dollars every year in health care costs associated with hospital admissions, respiratory issues and cardiovascular problems. Shifting to clean energy technologies will put a stop to public health problems and environmental issues caused by over-reliance on outdated, dirty energy.

“We expected Governor Snyder to outline concrete goals for how he will move Michigan’s energy policy forward,” said Clay Carpenter, campaign organizer for Clean Water Action. “Months of public participation, research and analysis has prepared the governor to make informed energy choices for Michigan, yet his announcement today fell short of providing specifics on what he plans to accomplish. Governor Snyder should send strong recommendations on expanding Michigan's renewable energy and energy efficiency standards to the legislature.”

During the yearlong energy discussion, Clean Water Action members and volunteers delivered 16,527 letters in support of renewable energy and energy efficiency to Governor Snyder and state lawmakers, presented technical testimony at the governor's energy forums, gave dozens of public comments at the energy forums and provided over 1100 public comments on the MPSC and Energy Office’s draft reports.

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About Clean Energy Now: CEN is a coalition of groups that supports policies that will move Michigan beyond coal power and toward greater use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency as a way to protect the environment and build prosperity. Follow the campaign atCleanEnergyNowMI.org.

Report: Climate Change Targeting Michigan Deer, Elk, Moose

CONTACT: Jordan Lubetkin, National Wildlife Federation, 734-904-1589

Heat, Drought, Disease Threaten Big Game and their Habitats

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN (November 13, 2013) – Rising temperatures, deeper droughts and more extreme weather events fueled by manmade climate change are making survival more challenging for America’s treasured big game wildlife, according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation. Nowhere to Run -- Big Game Wildlife in a Warming World details how climate change is already putting many species of big game at risk, including those in Michigan, creating an uncertain future for big game and the outdoor economy that depends on them.

“The recovery of big game species is one of America’s wildlife conservation success stories,” said Frank Szollosi, regional outreach consultant for the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center. “But today, a changing climate threatens to rewrite that success story. The good news is that we have solutions. It’s up to our nation’s public officials to act.”

Read the report at NWF.org/Sportsmen

Nowhere to Run, an assimilation of current science addressing climate change’s impacts on big game, shows rising temperatures, deeper droughts and more extreme weather events fueled by manmade climate change are making survival more challenging for wildlife by altering habitat, increasing disease risk and changing migration patterns.

Several big game species in Michigan will face increased challenges due to climate change, including:

·         White-tailed Deer: White-tailed deer are susceptible to hemorrhagic disease caused by viruses transmitted by biting midges. HD typically subsides shortly after the first autumn frost because colder temperatures kill the midges. Longer summers are likely to expose deer to more disease-carrying midges.

·         Moose: Moose are facing multiple threats – rising temperatures, changing forest species and increased mortality from parasites. Moose can become heat-stressed in warm weather, especially in summer if temperatures climb above 60 to70 degrees when moose coats are thinner. Heat stress leads to lower weights, declining pregnancy rates and increased vulnerability to predators and disease. Moose will also likely become more susceptible to deer-born diseases as deer expand their local distribution as temperatures warm.

·         Elk:  Warming temperatures will likely reduce the type of vegetation that elk need for food and shelter. Elk have already begun to expand their range in Michigan in search of suitable food and habitat and this will likely be exacerbated with global warming—leading to increased conflict with people, including vehicle accidents and crop depredation. The spread of diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis, between deer and elk may also increase.

“Climate change is already impacting the deer population in Michigan,” said Chris Hoving, adaptation specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division. “We can expect more new wildlife diseases and more changes to winter severity in the future.”

“Climate change has dealt moose a very difficult hand,” said Rolf Peterson, research professor at the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Tech. “One of the big challenges will be: ‘How do we prevent moose from contracting deer-borne diseases?’ Warmer, shorter winters will mean local increases in deer density, increasing likelihood of overlap with moose in winter. One of the ways to help prevent the transmission of deadly deer diseases such as brain worm is to ensure a healthy wolf population.”

“Climate change is expected to alter elk habitat, available food sources, and range,” said Rique Campa, associate dean and professor of wildlife ecology at Michigan State University. “This is creating challenges for wildlife managers charged with helping ensure a healthy, stable population.”

Michigan’s big game species have made a remarkable comeback in the second half of the last century. Like in other parts of the country, Michigan’s big game species suffered steep declines in the early 20^th century due to habitat loss, unregulated hunting, and other threats. The establishment of an effective wildlife management system supported by funds paid for by hunters through excise taxes on guns and ammunition helped many species rebound. The North American Conservation Model, as it is known, has been an example for wildlife managers around the world.

To this day, hunters continue to be an important cornerstone of Michigan’s and the nation’s efforts to support strong wildlife management, as well as a robust outdoor recreation economy. In 2011, there were more than 488,000 adult big game hunters in Michigan, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Hunters of both big and small game species spent more than $2.3 billion in Michigan.  More than 920,000 people observed big game near their homes in the state.  Sportsmen have invested more than $280 million in Michigan since 1939 to restore big game habitats and populations, in excise taxes and hunting and fishing licenses and fees.

“To protect Michigan’s outdoor heritage,” said Szollosi, “we must cut carbon pollution, speed our transition to clean energy and safeguard big game and their habitats from climate change.”

Nowhere to Run outlines the key steps needed to stem climate change and save big game:

1.      Address the underlying cause and cut carbon pollution 50 percent by 2030.

2.      Transition to cleaner, more secure sources of energy like offshore wind, solar power and next-generation biofuels and avoid polluting energy like coal and tar sands oil.

3.      Safeguard wildlife and their habitats by promoting climate-smart approaches to conservation.

4.      Manage big game considering a changing climate in plans and management.

Read the report at NWF.org/Sportsmen. Get more National Wildlife Federation news at NWF.org/News.

Contact information for wildlife experts on this release:

Rolf Peterson, Research Professor, School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Tech

906-487-2179, ropeters@mtu.edu

Christopher Hoving, Adaptation Specialist, Wildlife Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 517-373-3337, hovingc@michigan.gov

Henry (Rique) Campa, III, Ph.D., Associate Dean, The Graduate School and  Professor of Wildlife Ecology

Michigan State University, campa@msu.edu

The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.

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Jordan Lubetkin

Senior Regional Communications Manager

National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes Regional Center

213 W. Liberty St.

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

lubetkin@nwf.org

w: 734-887-7109

c: 734-904-1589

Michigan's wolf hunt will do more harm than good

By MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot opinion 
on November 12, 2013 at 7:44 AM, updated November 13, 2013 at 10:18 AM

By Mark Muhich

Michigan’s first ever wolf hunt begins Nov. 15. 

Mark Muhich

This wolf hunt is anti-scientific, anti-democratic and has little to do with hunting. Legislative skull-doggery by Upper Peninsula State Senator Tom Casperson voided the constitutional right of Michiganders to petition their government. 

Casperson shifted the listing of “game species”, animals hunted in our state, to a politically appointed committee. The Natural Resources Committee cannot be reviewed by the voting public, so the 250,000 citizens who signed the ballot initiative calling for a vote on the wolf hunt, were disenfranchised, told to keep quiet, and take a hike.

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Enbridge is still cleaning up three years after Kalamazoo River oil spill

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to regulate carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to regulate carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants and other smokestack industries. Schuette says it will be too costly for Michigan's economy. We'll talk with an expert in environmental law who saysnot regulating carbon emissions will cost the economy more in the long run. And later this week, we'll take a look at Governor Snyder's report on renewable energy in Michigan. Listen to The Environment Report on Michigan Radio, Tuesday and Thursday at 8:50 am and 5:45 pm. Orvisit us online. (Photo: DTE's Monroe Power Plant. Credit: cford3/Wikipedia.) Facebook Twitter Copyright © 2013 Michigan Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Michigan Radio 535 W. William St., Suite 110 Ann Arbor, MI 48103 www.michiganradio.org

Wisconsin waters threatened by tar sands crude oil expansion

DARRYL DYCK

In this photo from last year, a worker move logs on the Douglas Channel in British Columbia. The channel is the proposed termination point for an oil pipeline from Alberta as part of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project.

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Underground nuclear waste dump proposed near Lake Huron draws fire at WSU meeting

Opponents of a proposal to build an underground nuclear waste dump less than a mile from the shores of Lake Huron railed tonight in Detroit against a project they called a declaration of war against the Great Lakes.

Close to 100 people packed a town hall meeting at Wayne State University's Law School in opposition to the proposal by government-owned Ontario Power Generation to bury low and intermediate-level radioactive waste at the Bruce nuclear power plant in Kincardine, Ontario. A panel of speakers invited by organizers warned of the potential risk a facility leak would have on millions ...

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