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Second public listening session on climate roadmap planning is May 5

Comments will guide development of MI Healthy Climate plan

Members of the public will have another opportunity on Wednesday, May 5, to offer their ideas and insights about how Michigan can achieve its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), through its Office of Climate and Energy, is charged with formulating and overseeing implementation of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan, a roadmap to reducing greenhouse gas emissions statewide. Helping to work through that process will be the Council on Climate Solutions.

Details about the public listening session using the Zoom meeting platform:

— Wednesday, May 5, beginning at 6 p.m.

— A link to register is posted to the Michigan.gov/Climate webpage. You can indicate your interest in commenting when you sign up for the event.

— If you do not register in advance but would like to attend and make a comment, send an email to “mailto:EGLE-ClimateSolutions@Michigan.gov”>EGLE-ClimateSolutions@Michigan.gov with “Public Comment Request” and your name in the subject line. Those who send an email request will be called on to speak first.

— All attendees will have an opportunity to make a comment.

— Each speaker will be limited to three minutes.

— Sessions are designed to gather comments and input from the public; organizers will not answer questions posed by attendees.

— Individuals needing language assistance or accommodations for effective participation at the meeting should contact Kimber Frantz (FrantzK@Michigan.gov or 517-284-5035) before the event to request language, mobility, visual, hearing, translation and/or other assistance.

The listening session will begin with an overview of Executive Order 2020-182 that established the Council on Climate Solutions, followed by an explanation of how the council is structured and its role in advising EGLE and the Office of Climate and Energy on the development of the MI Healthy Climate Plan. The council’s input will be informed by the public comments and guidance from five workgroups: Energy Production, Transmission, Distribution, and Storage; Buildings and Housing; Transportation and Mobility; Natural Working Lands and Forest Products; and Energy Intensive Industries.

Those who cannot attend the listening sessions can offer their topical comments at any time by sending an email to EGLE-ClimateSolutions@Michigan.gov.

A recording of the Apr. 22 public listening session has been posted to MIchigan.gov/Climate.

The council is comprised of 14 state residents as well as representatives from nine state departments and agencies. EGLE Director Liesl Clark is the chair of the council, which is scheduled to meet publicly the fourth Tuesday of each month through the end of the year.

The MI Healthy Climate Plan will combat the impacts of climate change, which is having a detrimental impact on Michigan’s environment and economy. It also threatens the health and well-being of residents, with communities of color and low-income Michiganders bearing a disproportionate impact of climate disruptions. Gov. Whitmer has also signed Executive Directive 2019-12, in which Michigan joined the United States Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of governors from 25 states devoted to pursuing the goals of the Paris Agreement.

EGLE does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability, political beliefs, height, weight, genetic information or sexual orientation in the administration of any of its programs or activities, and prohibits intimidation and retaliation, as required by applicable laws and regulations.

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