December 2, 2011 Pollution Modeling Shows Holland at Risk from Toxic Emissions Sulfur dioxide plume from the coal-fired James DeYoung plant looms over neighborhoods, puts community health at risk HOLLAND, MICHIGAN – Holland residents are at risk of unsafe exposure to dangerous sulfur dioxide, according to new air pollution modeling released by the Sierra Club today. With news of this model, health professionals and Holland residents rallied to show their concern over the health impacts of the local coal plant.  Sulfur dioxide, which is emitted in large quantities by the coal-fired James DeYoung plant, threatens the Holland community with asthma attacks, severe respiratory problems, lung disease and heart complications The model can be viewed here.  Download the factsheet here. Gathered at the Herrick District Library Auditorium, the group unveiled a map of Holland that depicts the modeled pollution cloud threatening Holland’s most treasured areas – from the Macatawa lakeshore to the Historic District to Downtown 8th Street to Freedom Village. Outraged by the threat to air quality, the group called on the Holland Board of Public Works to protect Holland by supporting a sustainable, long-term energy plan that would move Holland beyond coal completely. The Holland Beyond Coal group has gathered over 1,300 signatures in support of this plan. Guest speakers spotlighted coal’s harmful effects on public health, the environment and Holland community, while demanding clean energy alternatives at this critical time for Holland’s energy future. “Every day, I work with individuals who are battling respiratory illnesses like asthma. The correlation between excess sulfur dioxide in the air and increased asthma rates is clear,” said Cristina Fugsleth, a respiratory therapist who has worked at Holland Hospital for more than 35 years. “As we can see today in this modeling, our coal plant is making us sick. We must act now to protect our air. Healthy air is essential to living a healthy life.” Local residents Coley and Lisa Brown shared their concerns after moving to Holland this year to settle down in America’s second happiest city. “I am in that category of ‘high risk’ for heart issues and I get concerned for my health” stated Coley Brown, “Imagine my shock when I recently discovered that there is a plan to expand the coal plant that is currently already making me sick. I thought, not in my town. I breathe this air.” Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection agency establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for pollutants such as sulfur dioxide that harm public health. The Clean Air Act requires EPA to revisit ambient standards for pollutants such as sulfur dioxide every five years to ensure the levels keep up with the best science regarding the impact of air pollution on public health. In June 2010, EPA finalized a standard for sulfur dioxide setting a ceiling for ambient concentrations of the pollutant on a 1-hour basis to protect against short-term spikes in SO2 pollution, which EPA found can have an adverse effect on at-risk populations such as children and the elderly during spikes in pollution in intervals as short as 5 minutes. Following EPA’s modeling protocols for this new standard, Sierra Club discovered that the James De Young plant threatens Holland with emissions that are 3.5 times the public-health based ambient standard. The air quality model was completed by Wingra Engineering, S.C., an independent environmental engineering consultation firm whose clients include manufacturing plants, electrical utilities, and environmental advocacy groups.

December 1, 2011  Governor Snyder Uses First Veto to Protect the Great Lakes Michigan’s leading environmental groups today applauded Governor Rick Snyder on using his first veto since taking office in order to strike down House Bill 4326. This bill would have stripped the authority of Michigan’s governor to protect the Great Lakes and the other natural resources that inspired the Pure Michigan campaign and are so vital to the lives and livelihoods of Michiganders. "This sends a simple message: Governor Snyder thinks the Great Lakes are worth protecting, and the Michigan legislature does not” said Mike Berkowitz of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “We are extremely encouraged to see Governor Snyder veto this short-sighted folly.” The State legislature sent HB 4326 to the Governor’s desk right before the Thanksgiving break. The bill would have prohibited the state’s governor from adopting any rule stricter than a federal standard unless authorized by the legislature.  “Michiganders have always been united in protecting our spectacular lakes,” said Cyndi Roper of Clean Water Action. “It’s mystifying why the majority of our legislators would voluntarily throw out a valuable tool for safeguarding Michigan’s water. We are encouraged to see that in this instance Governor Snyder does not agree with the legislature’s interest in undercutting Great Lakes protections.” A number of key environmental groups opposed to the bill include Sierra Club Michigan Chapter, Clean Water Action, the Ecology Center, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan Environmental Council, and the BlueGreen Alliance. Many union groups also staunchly opposed HB 4326. “We are counting on Governor Snyder’s leadership in future efforts to preserve our state's right to protect the Great Lakes and Michigan's other natural resources” said Alexis Blizman of the Ecology Center. “We urge Governor Snyder to continue to uphold the promises he made during his campaign, and not roll back important environmental protections.”

For Immediate Release – November 1, 2011 Contacts: Kady McFadden, 630-747-0915                   Tiffany Hartung, 231-747-7489                    Sierra Club, Beyond Coal & Clean Energy Solutions                   Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeyondCoalMI                    Twitter: @BeyondCoalMI Toxic Coal Ash from We Energies Coal Plant Pours into Lake Michigan Disastrous collapse comes just weeks after House votes against strong coal ash protections – will Senators Stabenow and Levin vote to protect Michigan Families? LAKE MICHIGAN – A partial retaining bluff collapse Monday at the We Energies Oak Creek Power Plant in Wisconsin sent toxic coal ash spewing into Lake Michigan. This collapse comes just weeks after the U.S. House voted to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from protecting Americans from coal ash.  The same weak bill is now before the U.S. Senate. In response, Jean Gramlich, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Chair,  issued the following statement: “The Environmental Protection Agency has been trying to enact national protections to stop this kind of disastrous spill from happening again, ever since the TVA disaster in 2008, and House Leadership has been blocking them every step of the way. As a result, communities here in Michigan and across the nation remain at risk and unprotected. “This spill in the Great Lakes is a tragic reminder of why the status quo is not good enough. As long as politicians interfere, spills like this are going to happen, and communities right here in Michigan are at risk. Congress needs to back off and allow the EPA to finalize strong protections.  “Coal ash is dangerous and toxic.  Though it’s currently treated as if it were household waste, coal ash contains mercury, arsenic, lead and other life-threatening toxins.  “The Senate should immediately stop work on its bill to block the EPA from protecting Americans from toxic coal ash, and Senators Stabenow and Levin should urge the EPA to finalize its protections against toxic coal ash, which have been in the works since 2009.  “We are very grateful that no one appears to have been injured in today’s spill, and our hearts go out to the residents of Southeast Wisconsin who have been victims of We Energies negligence for years. The Sierra Club Michigan Chapter also thanks the Wisconsin first responders, cleanup and safety workers for their courage in helping to clean up this mess. “The burning of coal is a public health menace. This incident underscores that as long as we are still mining and burning coal someone somewhere is paying the price.”

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2011    
Contact:    Mike Berkowitz, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter: 517-484-2372 x13
                  Cyndi Roper, Clean Water Action: 517-490-1394

House Republicans Vote in Favor of Raising Utility Costs 

LANSING – In a near party line vote, the Michigan House of Representatives today passed House Bill 4815, with an overwhelming majority of Republican legislators voting in favor of the bill. HB 4815, as written, would exempt Michigan-manufactured incandescent light bulbs from the federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 if they are sold in Michigan.  The federal act is set to phase out inefficient light bulbs by 2014 in an effort to increase energy efficiency in the United States. Contrary to these efforts, HB 4815 supports inefficient and outdated technology. Inefficient light bulbs require more energy to operate, and in turn require more energy be created from dirty energy sources, which have a major impact on our water, our air, and the public’s health.

“This vote sends a simple message: House Republicans do not care about consumers,” said Mike Berkowitz, Michigan Chapter Organizer for the Sierra Club. “This vote could collectively cost Michiganders over $350 million each year and increases the energy bill for each Michigan household by $85 annually. The legislature should not encourage our state to be less efficient, create more pollution, and charge ratepayers more.”

Despite claims made to the contrary, the federal Energy Independence and Security Act does not phase out incandescent light bulbs. Instead, the act promotes the use of more efficient versions that comply with these efficiency standards and provide an alternative for consumers who find compact fluorescents objectionable. These more efficient incandescent bulbs are produced by popular brands such as Philips, Sylvania, and GE. Their cost is similar to that of Compact Fluorescent bulbs and they are readily available on the shelves of your local home improvement store. Also, LED options are available for consumers as another lighting alternative.

“Instead of dictating what light blubs Michiganders can and can’t use, why doesn’t the House majority focus on creating jobs?” asked Cyndi Roper, Michigan Director of Clean Water Action. “HB 4815 is simply a misguided attempt to undermine sound energy policy and will do nothing to create jobs in our great state. If the legislature truly wants to support Michigan residents having a full choice of lighting options, they should work with manufacturers to help bring efficient incandescent bulb production and the associated jobs to Michigan.” Roper explained that instead of voting for HB 4815, Michigan lawmakers should use their clout to embrace the emerging national market for efficient incandescent light bulbs. “By creating a niche for the efficient incandescent bulb industry in Michigan, you would help create much-needed jobs while reducing energy waste,” she concluded.

Currently, the state of Michigan is progressing toward energy independence. This bill would damage such progress and create extra costs to consumers, state government and the environment. The bill now moves to the Michigan State Senate.

1 Natural Resources Defense Council Study: http://www.nrdc.org/energy/files/betterbulbs.pdf

Contacts:  Alex Wall, Sierra Club, 202-548-4595
Kate Geller, LCV, 202-454-4573

Walberg Blasted for Votes Endangering Public Health

New television ad campaign highlights public health impacts of pro-polluter votes

View the ad below or click here.

11 October 2011, Lansing, MI:  A new round of television ads begin airing today criticizing Michigan Representative Tim Walberg for his opposition to new clean air standards that would curb air pollution from toxic pollutants like mercury and arsenic, including his vote on the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act of 2011 (the TRAIN Act), which recently passed in the House and aims to block clean air protections against life-threatening air pollution.   Walberg has taken $191,920 from Big Oil and other dirty energy interests during his career.

The ads will air in the Lansing market for one week beginning October 11 and are sponsored by Sierra Club Michigan Chapter and the League of Conservation Voters.

“We need Rep. Walberg to stand up for the health of his constituents and Michigan families instead of standing with the polluters,” said Anne Woiwode, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter Director.  “Rep. Walberg’s attacks on pollution protections will not create more jobs or economic growth, but will mean more children in the hospital, harder times for families trying to make ends meet and millions of dollars in health bills for Michigan taxpayers.

“Representative Walberg is putting polluters before people and endangering public health by opposing common sense clean air safeguards that would curb harmful air pollution,” said Tiernan Sittenfeld, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at the League of Conservation Voters. “Our Representatives must be held accountable for votes that would force us to breathe air polluted with toxics like mercury and arsenic. This campaign will inform Representative Walberg’s constituents of the extreme anti-clean air votes Tim Walberg is taking in Washington.”

The ad criticizes Walberg for voting for the TRAIN Act, a bill which would indefinitely delay two critical Clean Air Act standards that limit soot, smog, mercury and other toxic pollutants like arsenic, cadmium, dioxin, lead, and formaldehyde from power plants.  [Roll Call Vote #741, 9/23/11]  The TRAIN Act could result in as many as 139,500 American lives lost to air pollution over the next seven years.

The ad sponsors will continue to closely track and respond to anti-clean air votes. Walberg also voted last week in favor of blocking toxic mercury protections for cement plants (H.R. 2681). These bills, as well as the TRAIN Act, are part of a series of attacks on health protections that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor announced in August.

View the ad below or click here.

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About Sierra Club of Michigan: The Michigan Chapter of the Sierra Club is the statewide voice for the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization. For 40 years, the Michigan Chapter has organized the bold action of citizens working together to protect and restore our Great Lakes state’s health and heritage.

About the League of Conservation Voters: The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is a national non-profit organization that works to turn environmental values into national priorities. To secure the environmental future of our planet, LCV advocates for sound environmental policies, informs the public and holds elected officials accountable for their votes through publications such as the National Environmental Scorecard, and provides the state LCVs with the resources and tools to accomplish and sustain their mission.

Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

Wolverine Coal Plant Faces New Lawsuit

Groups challenge Gov. Snyder and stop Wolverine from moving forward 

LANSING - The Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed a lawsuit this week challenging Gov. Rick Snyder’s decision to reverse the permit denial last year of an expensive and unneeded, and dangerous coal fired power plant in Rogers City.

The lawsuit, filed in Ingham County, argues that the state's permit would allow excessive emissions of mercury, acid rain precursors, particulate matter (soot) and other pollutants, as well as would fail to comply with federal requirements to use the best available technology for pollution controls. Last year, the State of Michigan rejected the same permit, saying Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative failed to show need for another coal plant. Additionally, the permit was denied because it was not shown that any new demand for power could not be met through clean energy sources, including energy efficiency, solar and wind power.

”Wolverine’s proposed coal plant would emit toxic mercury pollution into the air that will end up in our streams, lakes and eventually our bodies,” said Jean Veselenak, a resident of Presque Isle County. “We can’t afford the risk of mercury poisoning, which would put citizens and children at risk. It’s time for Governor Snyder and Wolverine to move past polluting technologies of the past.”

Citizen groups involved in the lawsuit cited extensive flaws in the air pollution permit issued by Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in June 2011, and note that because the plant's power is unnecessary, the enormous amount of pollution it would emit is unjustified. These groups argue that overturning the state's newly issued permit would prevent over 6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year from the proposed plant and protect the public health of Michigan residents.

 “Wolverine’s proposed coal plant is, as the Michigan Public Service Commission staff found, an unnecessary and costly mistake,” said Shannon Fisk, Senior Attorney at the Midwest Office of NRDC. “Wolverine should stop wasting its ratepayers’ money, cancel this multi-billion dollar pipe dream, and instead pursue cleaner energy sources that will create jobs and protect public health.”

Wolverine officials have continued to pursue the plant despite growing opposition from members of the retail electric cooperatives that comprise their customer base. Projections by state officials say that if built, a new coal plant would raise electric rates for cooperative members by 60 percent or more, an estimated $77 monthly increase for residential ratepayers. The same projections state that 26 percent of Wolverine's cooperative members currently live below the poverty level.

The lawsuit filed was on September 26th and assigned to Ingham County judge Rosemarie Aquilina.  The Great Lakes Environmental Law Center (GLELC) of Detroit and Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) of Chicago are assisting the Sierra Club and NRDC in the litigation.

Environmental Groups Call for Public Comment on Dangers of Fracking

House Subcommittee has not allowed citizens to give input during hearings

Lansing, MI (22 September 2011) – While the Michigan House Natural Gas Subcommittee held a third public hearing today to discuss a dangerous natural-gas extraction process known as fracking, one thing was once again missing from the agenda: public comment. Although the subcommittee has conducted three hearings this month, no time has been dedicated on the agenda to allow the public to address concerns over fracking.

“Of the nearly six hours the subcommittee has met over the past three weeks, only minutes have been given to address the dangers of fracking,” said Cyndi Roper, Michigan Director for Clean Water Action. “At each of these meetings, the committee has met with natural gas industry lobbyists. When do the citizens of Michigan get the opportunity speak? This committee is short-changing the public by only listening to industry lobbyists instead of doing the kind of fact-finding that will result in strong protections for Michigan’s water, air and the places we live.”

At today’s hearing, over 15 citizens from around the state submitted request cards to the subcommittee chair, Representative Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton), seeking to speak during public comment. However, none of them were allowed to speak. Today’s meeting is the last hearing currently scheduled by the subcommittee.

“It is very disappointing that citizens are not allowed to address their concerns about a dangerous process such as fracking at a public hearing with our elected officials,” said Jo Anne Beemon of the Friends of the Jordan River Watershed, who traveled from Charlevoix to Lansing to highlight the risks associated with the extraction process. “Michigan’s economy depends on our natural resources, including our Great Lakes and waters. We can’t afford the risks that fracking poses to these invaluable resources.”

After the subcommittee meeting, several environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) and Friends of the Jordan River Watershed, held a press conference continuing to call for a fourth public hearing to address fracking concerns.

Their initial call for an additional hearing came last week after Representative Nesbitt repeatedly denied a specific agenda topic at subcommittee hearings, which would have focused on allowing testimony from citizens and groups concerned about the fracking process.

“The Natural Gas subcommittee and Representative Nesbitt should hold a fourth additional public hearing that specifically addresses the dangers that fracking poses to our state,” said Mike Berkowitz of the Sierra Club. “Protecting public health and Michigan’s waters should be a top priority for all of our elected officials. We need to make sure the citizens and their concerns are heard in a public forum.”

Fracking is common extraction process used by the natural gas industry. The process involves blasting a mixture of water and dangerous chemicals deep underground to free deposits of natural gas. However, natural gas companies refuse to publically disclose all of the specific fracking chemicals they use, even though they could be poisoning our water and polluting the air.  

“Michigan legislators should pass legislation immediately that requires companies to publicly disclose upfront the chemicals they are using in the fracking process,” said Nick Occhipinti of WMEAC. “Stronger water and air protections would help protect Michigan’s natural resources and reduce the risk fracking poses to the health and safety of our families.”