FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16th, 2014

CONTACT: Mike Berkowitz

248-345-9808

Mike.berkowitz@sierraclub.org

SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES MARK TOTTEN FOR MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL

Conservation Group Praises Commitment to Protect Michigan’s Environment

Kalamazoo, MI: The Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of Mark Totten in the 2014 election for Michigan’s Attorney General.

"Mark Totten received Sierra Club’s endorsement because Michigan needs an Attorney General who will protect our public health, our water and our air,” said Richard Barron, Political Chair of Sierra Club MI Chapter. "Mark Totten is an attorney who understands the importance of clean air, clean water and public health and understands the vital need to protect our public health as well as our forests and other natural resources.  We are confident that he will defend our natural resources and will prosecute those who criminally pollute our air, water and land.”

In the past, Totten has worked to protect rainforests and stop illegal logging in Indonesia. He also worked on environmental policy as a staffer for former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman. Totten also developed a report on the abuse of science by the George W. Bush administration. Mark Totten is running for the position currently held by Bill Schuette (R). Schuette has led the charge against the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to keep our air, water and land clean and has been silent on fracking issues. In contrast, Totten encourages the expansion of Michigan’s renewable energy, energy efficiency, green manufacturing and maintenance jobs.

"Bill Schuette has shown a consistent disregard for the impacts of climate disruption, taking the side of industry and challenging common-sense solutions,” said David Holtz, Chapter Chair of Sierra Club MI Chapter. “Michigan needs more clean energy champions and Mark Totten has the skills, values and energy to lead on this important issue.”

Sierra Club’s endorsement means it will lend its volunteer strength to Mark Totten’s campaign from among its 160,000 Michigan members and supporters.  Totten will be seeking nomination as Attorney General at the Michigan Democratic Convention in August.

"Getting Totten elected as Michigan’s next Attorney General is a priority for us," said Mike Berkowitz, Political Director of Sierra Club MI Chapter.  "Sierra Club volunteers will conduct outreach to our members and other voters and let them know that Totten is committed to protecting Michigan’s environment.”

The Sierra Club is the nation’s largest grassroots environmental organization, with over 160,000 members and supporters in Michigan.

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Paid for with regulated funds by Michigan Sierra PAC 109 E. Grand River Ave. Lansing, MI 48906

Michigan Required to Address Statewide Air Quality Concerns By 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2014

Contact:

Alison Flowers, Sierra Club, 303-246-6297, alison.flowers@sierraclub.org

Brad Van Guilder, Sierra Club, 313-205-6386, brad.vanguilder@sierraclub.org

Michigan Required to Address Statewide Air Quality Concerns By 2015

Residents testify about cumulative health impacts of pollution at state hearing

LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is submitting a new plan to the EPA that must ensure that air pollution does not exceed levels established to protect public health. The state plan, due by April 2015, must prevent unhealthy levels of key dangerous pollutants -- sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and ground-level ozone (smog) -- that contribute to diseases like asthma. At least eight counties in Michigan have levels of ozone and sulfur dioxide pollution above the federal air quality standards.

MDEQ is proposing to maintain the status quo, rather than drafting requirements that would end pollution violations by aging coal-fired plants, which are responsible for a significant portion of the emissions. More than 900 petitioners have called on MDEQ to create strong safeguards.

“There is something terribly wrong when the state of Michigan allows any of its counties to become sacrifice zones for pollution, leaving families to suffer the chronic health effects,” said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune, while in Detroit for a conference. “Heavy industrial polluters like DTE Energy should not be given a free pass to violate our federal air quality standards that were created to protect residents.”

The EPA has already designated a portion of Wayne County as failing to meet the air quality standard for sulfur dioxide. Exposure to sulfur dioxide  in even very short time periods—such as five minutes—can have significant health impacts to human health, including causing decrements in lung function, aggravation of asthma, and respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity. Sulfur dioxide exposure can also aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospitalizations and premature deaths.  Asthmatics, children and the elderly are especially at risk from such pollution. 

Wayne County has the highest number of pediatric asthma cases in Michigan, coupled with the highest state population living in poverty, according to a 2014 American Lung Association report. The City of Detroit and nearby downriver communities are, combined, a heavily polluted area deemed the “Epicenter of Asthma Burden” by the Michigan Department of Community Health.

According to the NAACP, DTE -- the utility that owns and operates three of Wayne County’s top sources of sulfur dioxide air pollution (DTE’s River Rouge plant, Trenton Channel plant and EES Coke at U.S. Steel) -- is one of the worst environmental justice offenders based on its plants’ impacts on low-income communities. These plants are responsible for at least 85 percent of all sulfur dioxide emissions in Wayne County.

Other Michigan counties are at risk of exceeding the same sulfur dioxide standard, including St. Clair, Macomb, Eaton, Clinton, Ingham, Ottawa, Monroe, and Marquette Counties.

The public hearing to address the state’s plan will be held today, Wednesday, June 4, at Constitution Hall (William Ford Conference Room, 2nd Floor) at 525 W. Allegan St. in Lansing.

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Groups Join DOJ to Halt Serious Air Pollution from DTE Coal-burning Power Plants

Plants lack modern pollution controls that protect human health

Contact:
Shannon Fisk, Earthjustice, (215) 717-4522
Tiffany Hartung, Sierra Club (248) 933-2451

Detroit-Conservation groups took legal action late last week to support the Department of Justice (DOJ) efforts to clean up several of Detroit Edison’s coal-burning power plants in Southern Michigan by requiring them to comply with the Clean Air Act.

Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, amended its complaint in the case of US v. DTE Energy Company, to clean up Detroit Edison’s River Rouge, Trenton Channel, and Belle River coal-fired power plants. Earlier last week, DOJ amended its complaint to add the same claims on Trenton Channel, River Rouge and Belle River, and additional claims against the Monroe coal plant.

According to the Clean Air Task Force, these additional three coal-burning plants collectively contribute to 157 deaths, 254 heart attacks, and 2,480 asthma attacks each year.

“The River Rouge and Trenton Channel coal plants are aging dinosaurs that Detroit Edison continues to operate without readily available and legally required pollution control technology,” said Shannon Fisk, an Earthjustice attorney handling this case.  “It is far past time for Detroit Edison to protect public health and create jobs by cleaning those plants up or retiring and replacing them with affordable clean energy resources.”

The violations stem from Detroit Edison’s major, multi-million dollar modifications at those plants without installation of the legally-required modern pollution controls that would help protect public health.  As a result of these violations, Detroit Edison’s coal plants have emitted hundreds to thousands of tons of additional harmful air pollutants every year.

Emissions from coal-burning plants include dangerous pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury. High levels of exposure to these emissions can cause irritation of the throat and lungs, leading to difficulty breathing, increased asthma symptoms, more respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

“When I think about clean and renewable sources of energy, I think about the infinite possibilities of creating jobs and powering Michigan through cleaner sources like wind and solar power,” said Douglas Myers, River Rouge resident and Sierra Club member. “If DTE were to focus on forward thinking in the problem areas we could remove a lot of the dirty and harmful elements being emitted through their current facilities.”

This case was initially filed in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. EPA as an enforcement action regarding an illegal modification at Unit 2 of Detroit Edison’s Monroe coal plant.  Sierra Club intervened in that proceeding.   While the federal district court initially ruled against DOJ and Sierra Club, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit earlier this year reversed the district court decision.  As a result, DOJ and Sierra Club’s case against Monroe Unit 2 continues, and both plaintiffs are seeking to expand their claims to address legal violations at other Detroit Edison coal units.

 When Congress enacted the Clean Air Act of 1970, thousands of power plants, refineries, and other facilities were emitting large volumes of various air pollutants. The act required new facilities to be equipped with the most modern and efficient pollution-control technologies available. Many existing plants were let off the hook on the theory that they would be taken out of service fairly rapidly and replaced with new, clean plants.   The coal industry lobbied congress and the EPA to be allowed to continue running these old plants without adding modern pollution controls.  As a result, many of these aging, polluting facilities are still operating today, over 40 years later.

The law did, however, include important provisions addressing the older plants: If and when they make changes that increase emissions, they are required to retrofit with up-to-date technologies.  This is a key part of what the law calls the New Source Review (NSR) program. 

“Big coal has fought against NSR with respect to existing plants ever since the program was created,” continued Fisk.  “It has filed many lawsuits to challenge the program and simply refused to abide by it.”

April 6, 2011

Contact: Tiffany Hartung, (O) 231-747-7489, (C) 248-933-2451

Michigan US Representatives Upton, Rogers, Amash, Benishek, Camp, Huizenga, Miller, McCotter, Walberg, and Others in U.S. Congress Shill for Polluters, Endangering Americans’ Health

Upton Bill Passes 254-172
 

(Lansing, MI) – Today Michigan US Representatives Upton, Rogers, Amash, Benishek, Camp, Huizenga, Miller, McCotter, Walberg and other members of Congress approved legislation that strips the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect the public health of millions of Americans from big polluters. The bill, introduced by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), prohibits the EPA from enforcing safeguards against dangerous carbon pollution, guts the Clean Air Act and threatens the health and well-being of American families.

In response, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Director Anne Woiwode released the following statement:

“Today, at the expense of millions of Michigan residents who suffer from asthma, respiratory illness and other pollution-related disease, Representative Upton moved his bill in the US House and he and Representatives Rogers, Amash, Benishek, Camp, Huizenga, Miller, McCotter, Walberg and others voted for it, voting for higher profits for greedy corporate polluters, and dirtier air and water, more health problems, and more jobs shipped overseas, for the rest of us.

“Yesterday’s narrow defeat of 4 bills aimed at gutting the Clean Air Act in the Senate demonstrates a short-term victory for clean air, safe drinking water, and health.  Shameful pro-polluter votes like Representatives Upton, Rogers, Amash, Benishek, Camp, Huizenga, Miller, McCotter, Walberg today continue to put the health of millions of Americans at risk.

“Since day one of the 112th Congress, members of the Republican leadership like Fred Upton have been tasked by their polluter campaign contributors with gutting essential health protections like the Clean Air Act and abolishing the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to protect us from life-threatening pollution.

“We urge the Senate to stand its ground for our health, our economy and our environment by rejecting this damaging and dangerous legislation.” 

March 9, 2011

Contact: Azlan Ibrahim, (517) 333-1606 

More than 160 Michigan Scientists Tell Congress: Let EPA do its Job, Stop Attacks

MI scientists: Assault on EPA threatens public health, economy

LANSING - More than 160 scientists from universities across Michigan today called on Michigan's congressional delegation to oppose further attacks on the Environmental Protection Agency's authority, calling the EPA essential to protecting the public health.

"For more than 40 years, the EPA has protected public health and safety by holding polluters accountable - and it should be allowed to continue doing its job," said Knute Nadelhoffer, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan. "Scientists across Michigan stand united with scientists at the EPA and across the nation. Science, not politics, must drive our fight against dangerous pollution."

Nadelhoffer testified before Congress on Tuesday about the importance of allowing the EPA to set greenhouse gas emission standards under the Clean Air Act.

The scientists' letter states: "We strongly urge you to reject any measure that would block or delay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from protecting the people of Michigan from air pollution and human caused climate change, both of which put our health, agriculture, environment and economy at risk." [The letter is attached below.]

The scientists are continuing to circulate the letter to more researchers and scientists across the state, with the goal of building momentum and raising their voices to Congress.

"Michigan scientists urge Congress to defend Michigan citizens, not polluters," said David Karowe, professor of biological sciences at Western Michigan University. "By taking away or weakening the EPA's authority to fight greenhouse gas pollution, Congress is endangering the public health by increasing the likelihood of deadly heat waves, floods, and droughts."

"In the long run, climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions is going to be extremely costly to Michigan's economy, so we need to consider the long-term risk against the short-term costs," said Stephen Hamilton, professor of ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry at W.K. Kellogg Biological Station of Michigan State University. "And each year that we delay action commits us to more severe climate change well into the future, because greenhouse gas effects will persist for a very long time."

"Greenhouse gas pollution is a threat to our families' health and safety, and it endangers important industries from agriculture to tourism," said Steve Bertman, WMU chemistry professor and an expert on atmospheric chemistry. "The science is clear: Greenhouse gas pollution harms our air, land and water.  Ultimately, it will be the growing industries of alternative energy that will bring innovation and jobs back to Michigan. We should be doing everything we can to support these jobs of the future rather than upholding outdated technologies of the past."

"I am proud to stand with my fellow scientists in sending this message to Congress: Let science, not politics, determine how we set standards on greenhouse gas emissions," said Sarah Green, chair of the chemistry department at Michigan Technological University.  "As Congress begins the debate on the Clean Air Act, it is vital that they hear from scientists - and more than 160 of us in Michigan are ready to make our voices heard."

"The EPA does important life-saving work to protect public health," said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center and an adjunct environmental law professor at the University of Michigan. "These Michigan scientists fully support the EPA's setting sensible clean air standards to reduce greenhouse gases and other pollution that harm our health. Congress should work to reduce pollution, not open the floodgates to more toxic pollution that puts Michigan's future and our health at risk."

Among the facts the Michigan scientists highlighted in their letter:

• The Clean Air Act requires that EPA work to reduce smog and soot pollution, air toxics, and global warming pollution that together cost the people of Michigan and America billions of dollars in health care and other costs.
• Clean air rules can create more than 62,300 construction, installation and professional jobs in Michigan in the next five years.
• Michigan's Big Three have already publicly supported EPA rules to reduce emissions in new vehicles.Clean air regulations save consumers millions of dollars in gas costs, reduce oil consumption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 960 million metric tons.
• Signatories of the letter included scientists and researchers from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Western Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Michigan Technological University, Grand Valley State University, Ferris State University, and Hope College, Kalamazoo College and Calvin College, as well as scientists with other institutions doing research in Michigan.
• A recent statewide poll showed Michigan voters overwhelmingly support the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from large industrial sources. According to the poll of 500 Michigan voters by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, 68 percent of voters support the EPA's authority, compared with only 27 percent.
• Last week, the EPA released a report showing that the Clean Air Act will have saved $2 trillion by 2020 and prevented at least 230,000 deaths annually. By 2020, complying with the amendments would prevent 200,000 heart attacks, 17 million lost work days and 2.4 million asthma attacks, according to the report.