This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
At a meeting in Petoskey this Tuesday, members of the public will be able to weigh in on how the state should roll out the MI Healthy Climate Plan in their communities.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released the plan in 2021. It’s meant to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and transition to carbon neutrality, with a focus on actions needed between now and 2030.
It has six main goals:
- direct 40% of funds for water and climate initiatives to disadvantaged communities,
- generate more energy from clean sources,
- increase the amount of electric vehicles and public transportation,
- repair businesses and homes and make them more energy efficient,
- support innovations to reduce emissions from various industries,
- and protect the state’s natural areas.
“We'll spend most of the time with folks discussing strategies that they'd like to see happen, barriers, solutions, benefits that they want to see in their community,” said Cory Connolly, who leads the state office of climate and energy.
The Petoskey meeting will be the last stop in a series of meetings the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has held across the state, including in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, and Marquette.
“We really want to get real world examples of what the major priorities are in different regions across the state,” Connolly said. “If anybody wants to prepare, I would say dig into the specific pillars of MI Healthy Climate Plan. That's really the framework that we'll be working from in the sessions.”
Connolly said the meeting will be focused specifically on the plan, and not the legislation Whitmer recently signed into law, which is based on the plan.
Still, he said, part of the reason for collaborating with communities is to take advantage of that momentum.
“There's an incredible amount of federal funding, there's new legislation, and a number of strategic opportunities to implement the Mi healthy climate plan,” he said.
The meeting will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey.
There will also be virtual listening sessions on Dec. 14 and 18.
Separately, people can submit proposals to the state for projects to help achieve the climate plan’s goals. Those proposals are due on Dec. 15.
