ANN ARBOR, Mich.— Transportation will look different in Michigan – and that’s a good thing – under recommendations in the draft MI Healthy Climate Plan, the Ecology Center said today.
Among the recommendations is a transition toward electrification fueled increasingly by clean and renewable energy.
“The draft MI Healthy Climate Plan has strong recommendations for investing in electric vehicle infrastructure, EV purchase incentives, a low-carbon fuel standard and expanding transit,” said Charles Griffith, Climate and Energy Program director for the Ecology Center, and one of the co-chairs of the Transportation and Mobility Workgroup for the Council on Climate Solutions. “But the plan will take a ton of follow-through to ensure action is taken to implement the dozens of policy recommendations that are needed to meet the Governor’s goal of a 52% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050. It's a tall task, but absolutely essential if we hope to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, as well as reduce other sources of dangerous pollution in our air and water while creating thousands of new advanced automotive and clean energy jobs.”
The draft plan released by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), charged with developing the plan, comes after months of work by multiple workgroups convened over the past year, which presented recommendations to EGLE and the Governor’s Council on Climate Solutions. Some of the key themes included in the draft plan:
- The plan emphasizes that we must more rapidly increase our use of clean, renewable energy and prioritize an equitable transition off of fossil fuels to reduce pollution, protect our Great Lakes, create safer communities and improve the health of all Michiganders.
- The plan also emphasizes how Michigan must invest heavily in electrifying our transportation sector, including both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles like public transit buses and delivery trucks that increasingly traveling through our neighborhoods.
- The plan also recognizes the need to invest in expanding access to safe and convenient public transit systems and biking, especially as a means of advancing equity since many Michiganders don’t have access to a reliable personal vehicle.
The release of the draft now kicks off a public comment period, with feedback to EGLE and the Council on Climate Solutions.
“The public comment period gives Michiganders an opportunity to suggest further improvements to the plan before being finalized by EGLE and sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer,” stated Griffith.