Sierra Club Statement on Permit Approval or Ajax Asphalt Plant in Genesee Township

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Gail Philbin, Gail.Philbin@sierraclub.org

 

Sierra Club Statement on Permit Approval or Ajax Asphalt Plant in Genesee Township

 

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) approval of an air permit for the Ajax Materials Corp. asphalt plant in Genesee Township near a low-income housing complex spotlights the urgent need for reform of environmental regulations that address the cumulative impacts of industrial pollution. Sierra Club Michigan Chapter released this statement on the issue, which can be attributed to Gail Philbin, Sierra Club Michigan director:

“EGLE's decision to issue an air permit to the Ajax Materials Corp. proposed asphalt plant demonstrates the need to strengthen our federal and state environmental standards as they apply to communities in heavily industrialized areas. Sierra Club supports the Flint based coalition members and environmental law firms which have fought this permit and are now pursuing a civil rights complaint to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Civil Rights’ Office on EGLE's action.

"There are very real health effects from being surrounded daily by industrial pollution, even if the environmental standards for each individual facility are met. Cumulative pollution from multiple sources can translate to higher rates of asthma and other health problems in communities that often lack access to adequate medical care. Our state environmental agency needs to ensure that all Michigan residents are protected by our environmental laws.”

 

 

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About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.

Sierra Club Commends Legislative Democrats Climate Resiliency Bill Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Contact: Tim Minotas, tim.minotas@sierraclub.org 

Sierra Club Commends Legislative Democrats Climate Resiliency Bill Package 

LANSING, MI - Today, the Sierra Club applauds the Michigan House and Senate Democrats climate resiliency bill package. Climate change directly intersects with many key issues challenging our state including infrastructure, public health, jobs, and protecting our water.

We are seeing flooded homes, businesses, freeways, farmlands, and billions of gallons of raw sewage polluting our waterways from overloaded water systems, all costing our state billions. What would be considered 100 and 500-year flood events, Michigan is now getting every couple of years, and our infrastructure and roads aren’t built to handle them. We need to start looking at alternative, more resilient, cost-effective, and efficient green infrastructure options. These bills introduced today will begin to enact systemic changes and make climate-resilient investments where we need them most.

Included in the climate resilience package are proposals for:

• A climate resiliency corps to employ Michiganders to work on resiliency projects with local governments, non-profits, universities, tribes, and businesses, with a goal of 40% of those projects being in environmental protection communities.

• A disaster relief and weatherization navigator program to help assist individuals in navigating the complicated web of assistance programs related to these specific areas

• A Weatherization and pre-weatherization jobs program to help low-income residents in Michigan improve energy efficiency and resiliency of their homes to combat the effects of extreme weather, repair homes that are in deferment so they can participate in weatherization assistance, all while creating good-paying jobs and apprenticeships to perform the upgrades.

• Expanding the percentage of how much Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) dollars can be spent on weatherization.

• A green infrastructure permit for MDOT highway projects, which would require them to consider forecasted climate conditions and green infrastructure alternatives in their projects.

• Requiring water utilities in the state to have backup power sources for their water pumps if the primary source fails.

• Adding environmental disasters and natural disasters to the local and state emergency alert system, to ensure our residents are prepared and aware of incoming severe weather, chemical spills, and industrial accidents.

• Local municipalities to develop their own stormwater utility system

In response, Tim Minotas, a Legislative and Political Coordinator with the Sierra Club’s Michigan Chapter, released the following statement:

“As we have experienced, extreme weather events will continue to bring flooding and other issues to Michigan, and to prepare for them we have to build resiliency within our infrastructure and communities, and ensure that our residents have the resources to recover from and manage these new realities. The bills introduced today, take a proactive approach to plant the seeds of an economy to sustain us over the long term -- one that will create thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs, prioritize vulnerable communities, and protect our water resources. To adapt to climate change and protect public health, we have to take action now. 

“This is a time to be decisive in saving lives, and bold in charting a path to a genuinely healthier and more equitable future for all Michigan residents. Sierra Club, our members, supporters, and environmental advocates across the state will use this solid foundation to continue to push for action across the board in Michigan so that we truly tackle this crisis at the speed and scale that justice and science demand.”

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About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 4 million members and supporters nationwide, and over 150,000 in Michigan. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit http://www.sierraclub.org.

Sierra Club endorsed candidates make gains in local races

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Sierra Club endorsed candidates make gains in local races 

Media Contacts:   

Tim Minotas: 248-961-9610

Sierra Club endorsed candidates won big in last night’s elections across Michigan. The issues that drove voters to the polls in this off-year election included candidate commitments to renewable energy at the municipal level, safe affordable drinking water, environmentally sustainable development, and support for local green space programs. Sierra Club is proud to support candidates that championed these issues. 

The biggest win of the night came from Grand Haven in seats for the Grand Haven City Council and the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power by Sierra Club endorsed candidates, Andrea Hendrick, Micheal Westbrook, Kevin McLaughlin, and Karen Lowe.

These races are important in particular because community members have been pushing back against a polluting gas plant project. With these voices now on the City Council and the Board of Light and Power, the people of Grand Haven now have representation that will fight to protect their air and water.

The election results from last night show that candidate positions on environmental issues will also play a big role in the 2022 election. According to polling done earlier this year through GQR, 71% of registered voters in Michigan believe that climate change is a serious problem, and 67 percent of voters want to increase the state’s usage of renewable energy like wind and solar energy. Sierra Club channels significant grassroots support to translate these polling results into election results, and last night’s wins show that we are making gains going into 2022. 

“This is a crucial time in Michigan for setting a new, higher standard when it comes to environmental policy”, said Tim Minotas, Legislative and Political Coordinator for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “Cities and local utilities across the country have been taking it upon themselves and leading the way to cut emissions, increase resiliency, and protect green spaces to ensure we are leaving a healthy environment for future generations. We look forward to working with all of yesterday’s winners in protecting the air, land, and water within their communities.”

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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 4 million members and supporters nationwide and over 150,000 in Michigan. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/Michigan.

Paid for by Michigan Sierra PAC (109 E. Cesar E. Chavez  Ave. Lansing, MI 48906)