Make Michigan Energy Policy Strong!

Michigan students from around the state took the message of "clean energy now!" to state legislators Wednesday at the capitol in Lansing.

Students attended the House energy committee meeting before spending the day lobbying with members of the Sierra Club for a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard of 20% by 2020, Energy Efficiency increases of 2% per year and no new coal plants.

The days events were covered in the State News, check out the story - Students lobby Legislature

The next lobby day will be December 12th, in Lansing with the Sierra Club & members of the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition.

Currently Energy Legislation is being taken up by the Michigan House of Representatives making this a crucial time for us to influence this package of bills. Proposals in Michigan include 7 NEW coal-fired power plants that will keep Michigan locked in the energy dark ages - - emitting and keeping funding for clean energy projects - we need our legislators to change this course by voting in Energy legislation for our state that would;

• Enact a strong renewable energy standard that requires energy providers to generate 20 percent of their electric power from renewable sources by 2020.
• Enact aggressive, statewide, utility-funded energy efficiency programs that reduce energy consumption in the state by at least 1 percent per year.
• Protect consumers from having to absorb the skyrocketing future costs of coal burning.
  Implement a long-term energy plan that guarantees energy efficiency and renewable power are used before any more outdated coal plants are built.
• Develops new standards for controlling the emission of CO2.

Here’s the plan for next Wednesday’s Blitz:
Please try to arrive in Lansing so we can get started by 8:45am. We’ll meet at the Central United Methodist Church at 215 N. Capitol, kiddy-corner from the capitol and right across from the Anderson (House office) building (same place we’ve met for Lobby Day). We will be providing coffee, rolls & donuts in the morning. We’ll go over our message at the morning orientation at 8:45am at the church and we’ll be working in teams with 8-10 offices to visit assigned per team. More details on our message and materials will be coming soon!!!!! Let us treat you to lunch…and we should be completed around 1-ish. NOTE-Carpooling will be happening from many locations…so we can do our part on saving energy! Sign up and we’ll tell you who is coming from your area.

Here’s the link to the parking map: http://www.cityoflansingmi.com/Lansing/pnd/parking/docs/downtown_map.pdf

Please contact jan.oconnell@sierraclub.org or 616-956-6646 to RSVP or get more details.