Michigan League of Conservation Voters releases 2014 Lame Duck Scorecard for legislators on conservation, environmental issues

ANN ARBOR -- Today, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (Michigan LCV) released their 2014 Lame Duck Scorecard. This special-edition Scorecard offers a non-partisan window into the voting records of Michigan’s State Representatives and State Senators on conservation and environmental issues during the busy last few weeks of the 2013 - 2014 legislative session.

"We saw serious attacks waged on Michigan’s land, air and water, including bills that promoted air pollution and denied the scientific management of public land, all in the span of a few weeks," said Lisa Wozniak, Michigan LCV executive director. "We also saw strong bipartisan support for clean energy legislation that promotes the reduction of energy waste. Lame Duck legislative sessions are often overlooked, but Michigan LCV members took action to stop bad bills and move good policy forward. Today, we are proud to release a complete description of all that took place in the waning days and hours of the legislative session, and hold elected officials accountable for their actions. Did they or did they not work to protect the natural resources that define our Great Lakes State?"

Upper Peninsula constituents should not be surprised at the following scores for our local state legislators:

State Senator Tom Casperson of Escanaba -- (R, 38th District, most of the U.P.) and chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes -- received a 2014 Lame Duck session score of 40 percent, up from his original 2013-2014 score of 0 percent, giving him an overall score of 20 percent for 2013-2014. That ties Casperson with House Committee on Natural Resources Chair Andrea LaFontaine (R, District 32), who also received an overall score of 20 percent. Both score in Michigan LCV's "No" category (scores of 0 to 49 percent) on their performance for land, air and water issues. Casperson sponsored three of the Lame Duck session anti-environment bills scored by Michigan LCV.*

State Rep. Scott Dianda of Calumet (D, 110th District) received a Lame Duck session score of 47 percent, down from his 2013-2014 score of 64 percent, giving him an overall new score of 56 percent for 2013-2014. That score puts him in Michigan LCV's "Maybe" category (scores of 50 percent to 74 percent) for his legislative performance on conservation and environmental issues.

Here are the scores of state representatives from the Marquette/ Menominee area:

State Rep. John Kivela of Marquette (D, 109th District):
Lame Duck score: 62 percent
Original 2013-14 score: 56 percent
Overall 2013-14 score: 59 percent ("Maybe")

State Rep. Ed McBroom of Vulcan (R, 108th District):
Lame Duck score: 10 percent
Original 2013-14 score: 51 percent
Overall 2013-14 score: 31 percent ("No")

Michigan LCV’s 2014 Lame Duck Legislative Scorecard scores votes on six bills, including committee votes and votes on the floor of the House and Senate. It also includes bill sponsorship for three bills introduced during the Lame Duck session that would have expanded and strengthened Michigan’s commitments to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Finally, for the first time the Scorecard also includes a count of a conservation majority in the state legislature.

Click here for a full summary of the 2014 Lame Duck Scorecard, including brief descriptions of the lame duck bills.

"The Lame Duck session clearly illustrates that our elected officials in Lansing are sorely lacking a core conservation commitment, which is counter to the assumption held by the majority of citizens in this state. Our Pure Michigan is a shared value among citizens from Detroit to Marquette. Those who represent us in Lansing must understand that their constituents expect strong leadership to protect both our world-class Great Lakes and the amazing outdoors that define our state," said Wozniak. "The legacy of the 2014 Lame Duck session will live on this year, and we look forward to working with Michiganders and state legislators to move Michigan forward."

Click here for the 2014 Lame Duck Legislative Scorecard. See p. 8 for the list of Lame Duck session bills and scroll through the following pages to see how your State Senator and Representative voted.

* See Senate Bills 78, 891, and 910 summarized here.

Michigan LCV: Green Gavels: To Stop Mining Projects, Burden of Proof Weighs Heavy on Localities

By Katie Sulau, Michigan  League of Conservation Voters
Posted Feb. 24 on Michigan LCV Political Week in Review
Reprinted with permission

Last week, we told you about a public hearing to discuss an application to create a massive gravel mining operation just north of Chelsea, Michigan, in Lyndon Township.* Our ears perked up about this particular permit because it is a direct repercussion of a damaging decision on the part of the Michigan Supreme Court, which we covered on Green Gavels, our accountability tool that tracks the decisions of the judicial branch. The Court’s decision applied "innocent until proven guilty" to the predictably damaging environmental impacts of natural resources extraction.

Essentially, unless localities can demonstrate that "very serious consequences" will result from natural resources extraction, zoning boards must approve permits. Former State Representative Matt Huuki (R – Atlantic Mine) sponsored a bill (HB 4746) that reinforced that rule in July 2011, which, unfortunately, passed the state legislature.** Now, Lyndon Township residents are playing automatic defense to stop a mining operation that state law provides should move full speed ahead unless it can be proven that the gravel mine will become a sinkhole for the entire town of Chelsea, or an equally devastating scenario. The good news? The Lyndon Township Planning Commission delayed a decision on the application last Monday, which leaves more time to mount a sizable defense. Consider the gravel mine proposal in Lyndon Township a prime example of the damaging repercussions of statewide policy taking hold locally, and read up on how we got here on our Green Gavels page.

Read more on Michigan LCV's Feb. 24, 2014, Political Week in Review.

Editor's Notes:
* Click here for the Michigan LCV's Feb. 17 Political Week in Review.

**See Keweenaw Now's Nov. 3, 2012, article, "Portage Township Board candidates express views at forum; most challengers to incumbents absent," to learn how HB 4746 affected zoning in the case of the Valley View Quarry in Portage Township.

Michigan LCV: No more Petcoke in Detroit

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters' Political Week in Review
Posted Aug. 19, 2013

Last week, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing joined Michigan LCV members in taking action on petroleum coke piling high along the Detroit River. Bing ordered all petcoke to be removed from the city by August 27th. His decision affirms calls for cleanup from local leaders like State Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), and concerns from US Congressman Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) that no long-term studies on petcoke’s impact have been completed.

Thousands of Michigan LCV members signed on to stand with both Peters and Tlaib since petcoke piles showed up in Detroit, and now both legislators have hard copies of your signatures. On Friday, Michigan LCV met with Representative Tlaib in her Detroit office just around the corner from remaining petcoke piles, to deliver a list of Michiganders from all over the state who support her continual pressure for cleanup. To see the petition delivery, follow our brand new Instagram account (MichiganLCV), or check out our
Facebook page.

Click here to read more articles from Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review.

Editor's Note: Read about petcoke and watch a video of Detroit activist Jarret Schlaff of DCATS (Detroit Coalition Against Tar Sands) speaking about citizens' protests against petcoke pollution in their neighborhood in Keweenaw Now's July 22 article, "Videos, photos: 'Oil and Water Don't Mix' rally draws hundreds concerned about Great Lakes."

Michigan LCV: Natural Resources Trust Fund to hold U.P. Town Halls

From: Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Posted Aug. 19, 2013

This week, Town Halls for Michigan's Natural Resources Trust Fund (NRTF) cross the Mackinac Bridge and begin their Upper Peninsula tour. Show up to support quality state parks and public land!

Join Michigan LCV members at these meetings to show your support for an NRTF that stays true to its promise of protecting Michigan's state parks and natural resources for future generations. Here is this week's meeting information, and specific examples of how the NRTF benefits Upper Peninsula communities:

State Representative Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) will host three meetings in his district on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 20, 21:

• Iron Mountain: Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. (Central Time). Fornetti Hall at Bay College West, Room 104, 2801 North US 2. Recent NRTF projects in Dickinson County: Iron Mountain City Park improvements, Millie Mine Bat Viewing Trail development.


• Menominee, Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. (Central Time). Schloegel’s Restaurant, 2720 10th St. Recent NRTF projects in Menominee: Quiver Falls and Piers Gorge land acquisition.


• Escanaba, Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 2:30 p.m. Bay de Noc Community College, Joseph Heirmann Building, 2001 N. Lincoln Road. Recent NRTF projects in Delta County: Van Cleve Park Harbor Point revitalization, Sac Bay land acquisition.

State Representative John Kivela (D - Marquette) will host a meeting in his district on Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Marquette City Commission Hall. Recent NRTF projects in Marquette County: Thomas Rock Scenic Overlook development, Perkins Park improvements, Iron Ore Trail development.

Click here for Michigan LCV's full article with links to info on these projects and more about the NRTF.

Michigan LCV: Rep. Tlaib Says No To PetCoke

Posted by Michigan League of Conservation Voters on their Political Week in Review
August 5, 2013

Detroit’s petroleum coke piles may be getting smaller, but concerns about their environmental and public health impacts have not gone anywhere. Last week, video footage of a dark cloud of Detroit petcoke dust hovering over Windsor stirred up more calls for clean-up, and a temporary halt to petcoke deliveries on the part of the storage company was an encouraging sign. While tightened regulations and permitting for storing the dirty oil waste are in the works, there are no guarantees .

A poster at the MICATS/DCATS booth at the July 14, 2013, "Oil and Water Don't Mix" rally at the Mackinac Bridge explains the Petcoke process. Click on photo for larger
version. See also the MICATS (Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands) Web site for more information.

Detroit Bulk Storage will stop adding to the petcoke piles for good. Thankfully, State Representative Rashida Tlaib (D - Detroit) has taken the lead on addressing the hazards that petcoke piles pose to our clean water and Detroiters’ health. To continue making progress on petcoke, we want to make sure Rep. Tlaib knows we support her work and we have her back. Add your name to the list of Michiganders who thank Rep. Tlaib for her local leadership and action toward cleaning up petcoke piles.

Click here to sign today.

See more articles on Michigan LCV's Aug. 5, 2013, Political Week in Review.

UPDATE: Click here to see a video clip of petcoke dust.

Michigan LCV: DNR goes north

By Jack Schmitt, Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Political Director

Posted April 20 on Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review

Reprinted with permission.

Photo © Derek Woodman and courtesy Michigan League of Conservation Voters.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently headed north to get public input on their land management plan for Michigan. Meetings took place in Traverse City, Gaylord, Marquette and St. Ignace -- places where smart natural resources management is especially essential for recreation and the economy. A Michigan LCV member who attended the Marquette meeting reported that increased access to recreation, especially for people living around cities, was widely supported, but the way we measure which recreation opportunities people value most is not adequate. Hunting, fishing and snowmobiling are talked about much more than backcountry camping, bird watching or hiking because they require a license or permit. So, costs and benefits are automatically
assigned to those activities, making it easier for the DNR to quantify and favor.

Don’t get me wrong -- we’re all about hunting and fishing and responsible ORV use; but we can’t forget all the recreation opportunities Michiganders love and want more access to that don’t cost money. We run the risk of overlooking the need for access to more biking, hiking, nature-loving activities just because we can’t put a solid number on their benefits. This same question applies to the plan’s favoring of Michigan’s extraction industry. Money coming in from timber harvesting and mineral leasing shouldn’t trump what we are losing out on by promoting extraction of our natural resources.

Yesterday, April 22, the DNR held another meeting in Grand Rapids. The final meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Delta College Planetarium and Learning Center, 100 Center Ave., Bay City.

If you haven't been able to attend a meeting, email your comments to DNRlandplan@michigan.gov.

Click here to read more articles on this week's Michigan LCV Political Week in Review.

Michigan LCV: Michigan's Land Management Plan: What Do You Think?

By Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Posted April 8, 2013

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is ready to present a draft of their new land management plan to the public and they want your feedback.

The plan is a requirement of last year’s land cap legislation, which stopped the DNR from acquiring public land until a land management strategy was laid out. The DNR's draft is published and it is being presented in open houses around the state. If you missed one of these you can  send your comments to DNRlandplan@michigan.gov.

The plan’s positives come from its focus on creating better public recreation opportunities, especially in urban areas, and improving access to Michigan’s lakes, rivers and streams. The Michigan League of Conservation Voters is concerned, however, about its promotion of Michigan’s extraction industries, such as natural gas, oil and logging, which have deep environmental impacts and are not adequately regulated.

Click here to read the rest of this article.
Click here to read the draft land management plan.

From Michigan LCV: A Lame Idea for Lame Duck

By Ryan Werder, Michigan League of Conservation Voters Political Director

Posted Nov. 19, 2012, on the Michigan LCV's "Political Week in Review"

We successfully targeted Rep. Matt Huuki (R - Atlantic Mine) for defeat this election because of his history of supporting anti-conservation legislation.

Two days after he was defeated, Huuki underscored our point by introducing a mining tax package that fails to compensate his district and the state for the natural resources that are extracted -- and the risk of sulfuric acid leakage that comes with it.

Huuki Gift-wraps severance tax package for sulfide mining companies

On the first day of the lame duck session, outgoing Representative Matt Huuki (R - Atlantic Mine) introduced a mining severance tax package that could end up being far more helpful to out-of-state mining companies than to Michigan.

The package, composed of House Bills 6007-6012, would replace the traditional method of valuing and taxing a nonferrous metallic mine (like sulfide mines) with a 2.75 percent severance tax. This is simply too low. The hazards of sulfide mining are immense and well documented. Those pictures of yellowish-orange rivers? That is the same sulfide mining that was recently approved by the DEQ to be constructed within 200 ft. of Lake Superior.

Not only is this under-valuing of remarkable Northern Michigan land selling ourselves short, the revenue collected from the proposed "severance tax" of 2.75 percent would not properly benefit the local communities who will feel the brunt of this invasive mining technique. Of the funds collected, 60 percent would go to local units of government and 40 percent would go into a rural development fund. Furthermore, it creates exemptions for transportation and environmental compliance costs.... Click here to read more.

Inside the Election

Starting this week, I'll take you inside our electoral work to give you a glimpse of how we replaced  anti-conservation incumbents with environmental champions. As we typically say here at Michigan LCV, for Michigan to have legislators who value our natural resources, we have to elect them first. We’ll begin with a race in Northern Michigan -- particularly fitting considering the race involved the re-election of the aforementioned Rep. Huuki. I’m sure it’s no surprise given his anti-conservation lame duck agenda, but we endorsed his challenger, Scott Dianda.

Our strategy for Michigan LCV endorsements is to make limited endorsements, and back them up with significant resources. This cycle, the process started off with a questionnaire that we sent to candidates early in the year. Scott Dianda's response to the questionnaire showed that he was the kind of conservation leader we wanted to see in the legislature.

Additionally, Huuki's dismal record on conservation issues made this seat one that could greatly benefit from a change in representation. Huuki's record included sponsorship of HB 4746, which made it almost impossible for local townships to zone out natural resource mining -- like sulfide mining -- unless they could prove that "very serious consequences" would result.

We officially endorsed Scott Dianda for the general election in early October, 2012, and began an independent expenditure campaign through our Conservation Voters of Michigan PAC. We sent four rounds of high-quality mail pieces to 10,000 specifically-targeted voters in the 110th District in the western Upper Peninsula. The mailers highlighted Matt Huuki's lowlights as a legislator, including his votes to weaken environmental protections. In the last weeks before Election Day, we stepped up our efforts with radio ads emphasizing the same message.

When the final votes were counted, Scott Dianda had defeated Matt Huuki by a margin just over a thousand votes. Scott Dianda ran a great campaign in his own right, and we certainly don't take sole credit for his victory. Our efforts, though, helped put Dianda over the top and make sure that the western Upper Peninsula is represented by someone who shares the conservation values of its residents in the Michigan House of Representatives.

Michigan LCV: President Clinton endorses Michigan Proposal 3 for renewable energy

Posted by Michigan League of Conservation Voters

Political Week in Review

Oct. 29, 2012

ANN ARBOR -- On Monday, Oct. 29, President Bill Clinton endorsed Proposal 3 to get Michigan to 25 percent renewable energy by 2025.

President Bill Clinton with Lisa Wozniak, Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director. (Photo courtesy Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Reprinted with permission.)

Former President Clinton championed the cause because he knows that the jobs created by Prop 3 will help spur the kind of economic activity that defined his Presidency. On the opposite side of the debate, campaign finance reports show that Enbridge -- yes, that Enbridge (the one whose faulty oil pipeline dumped more than a million gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River) -- has joined the opposition to Prop 3. After all, why have more renewable energy in Michigan when we can have record-breaking oil spills into our rivers, instead?

"Proposal 3 is Michigan’s best opportunity this year to jumpstart the state’s economy by creating 94,000 jobs and increasing the use of renewable energy," Clinton said. "Proposal 3 invests in Michigan’s future so that it won’t get left behind by the 30 other states that are already creating new clean energy jobs and lowering consumers’ electricity costs. That’s why I’m so proud to endorse Proposal 3."

President Clinton joins former Republican Michigan Governor Bill Milliken as two chief executives who know how important it is for Michigan to create jobs and move forward to a renewable energy future.

See more articles on Michigan LCV's current Political Week in Review: 

• Enbridge Oil joins other polluters in opposition to Proposal 3
• Ray Franz lives up to "Dirty Dozen" label at debate
• We launched a new ad exposing Dan Benishek's vote to gut the Clean Water Act.

Michigan LCV endorses Scott Dianda, Sharon Gray for Michigan House of Representatives seats

Michigan League of Conservation Voters reported in an article posted Oct. 1 that they have endorsed Michigan House candidates Scott Dianda of the 110th District and Sharon Gray of the 108th District in the Upper Peninsula.

The article notes that "former small business owners Scott Dianda and Sharon Gray are challenging incumbents Matt Huuki and Ed McBroom, respectively. Huuki and McBroom both voted to prohibit Michigan from adopting stronger Great Lakes protections than the federal government and to put their district under the land cap, limiting future outdoor recreation opportunities."

Lisa Wozniak, Michigan LCV executive director, had this to say about Scott Dianda: "The people of the Upper Peninsula have a unique connection to their natural resources. Whether they hunt, fish, farm, or work in the mining or timber industry, they have a stake in conserving our land, air, water and wildlife for future generations. Unfortunately, Matt Huuki has abandoned that legacy. We believe that Scott Dianda can help restore a conservation ethic to the Michigan Legislature."

Click here to read the article on these recent endorsements.

Michigan LCV: Benishek booed for climate denial in Petoskey

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV)

Posted Oct. 22, 2012, on Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review

At a debate in Petoskey last week, Congressman Dan Benishek (R, 1st District) proudly and unapologetically spewed the same climate-denial rhetoric that landed him on the national League of Conservation Voters' "Flat Earth Five" list. In response, the audience booed him and then laughed at him for claiming he was a scientist (he is a doctor). He said: 

"Well, frankly, I’m not sure how significant global warming is…[audience boos]…well, I don’t know, I’m a scientist…[audience laughter]…Well I don’t know, I’ve studied medicine. I’ve written research papers, I’ve done peer review journals, I spent a lot of time in the sciences and you know I’m not exactly sure what’s happening with the climate."

Gary McDowell, Benishek's challenger to represent the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula in Congress, replied, "I think virtually every scientist who is not working for BP or the Koch brothers -- and Dr. Benishek -- agree that we have to do something." (Actually, even Koch-funded scientists admit climate change is real, as well as 97 percent of actual scientists who study the issue.)

McDowell had a 90 percent lifetime score on the Michigan LCV Scorecard as a state legislator and earned a 100 percent in his last term ending in 2010. Benishek, on the other hand, has only a 3 percent score from the national League of Conservation Voters for his one term in Congress, which named him to their "Flat Earth Five." He has voted to weaken Clean Water Act protections and consistently denied the existence of climate change, even as Great Lakes levels drop from a lack of ice cover and increased evaporation, cherry crops were decimated from erratic weather patterns, and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is killing thousands of deer in southern Michigan because the midges which spread them are emerging earlier and living longer into the fall due to warmer weather.

Michigan LCV ran television ads last month highlighting Congressman Benishek's dismal voting record on clean water protections, which helped McDowell bump past Benishek in the polls.

Click here to watch the debate video!
Click here to read the Oct. 16, 2012, Michigan LCV article on the Petoskey debate, held on Oct. 15, 2012.

See the Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review for these stories as well:

Michiganders aren't buying big utilities' false claims, despite the $10 million being spent on statewide advertising (about Proposition 3).

The Conservation Voters of Michigan PAC launches northern Michigan radio campaign.

Some new anti-poaching bills offer a rare bright spot for a generally anti-conservation Legislature.

Key voices endorse Michigan's Ballot Proposal 3

From: Michigan League of Conservation Voters (MLCV)

Posted Oct. 15 on MLCV's Political Week in Review

A national coalition of businesses committed to renewable energy endorsed Proposal 3 today. Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) is composed of
nationally recognizable brands like Ben and Jerry's, The Gap Inc., and The North Face who want more of the electricity they use to come from renewable sources.

Michigan League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Lisa Wozniak made the case for Prop 3 in the Detroit Free Press this week, as well.

"The beauty of this ballot initiative is that it builds off of Michigan's manufacturing talent and know-how while also doing the right thing for the air we breathe and the Great Lakes. Proposal 3 will create jobs, spark investment, rein in high energy costs and reduce pollution," she wrote.

With only three weeks to go before the election, the Prop 3 campaign is in full swing. While the utilities have put millions of dollars into misleading ads to protect their reliance on coal, we have something they don't: you. Click here to sign up for a volunteer phone bank to make sure your fellow citizens know about the 94,000 Michigan jobs Prop 3 will create!

Click here to read more articles on MLCV's Oct. 15, 2012, Political Week in Review.

Michigan LCV: Casperson bill wants ATVs on conservancy lands

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters Political Week in Review

Posted Aug. 27, 2012 (Reprinted with permission)

By Ryan Werder

Imagine walking down a path that winds through your local nature preserve. Birds are chirping, squirrels are chattering. Walking quietly, you spot a deer just off the trail upwind from you. The sounds of the forest put you at ease, but you suddenly hear a roaring motor rapidly accelerating toward you. The deer spooks, the birds fly away, and you’re splashed with mud thrown up by an ATV as it zips past on the once-peaceful trail.

This could be the new reality for nature conservancies if Sen. Tom Casperson has his way. According to excellent reporting by Bridge Michigan’s Jeff Alexander, Sen. Casperson is working on a bill that would require nature conservancies to allow motorized access in order to qualify for tax exemptions.* Nature conservancies, however, often have covenants prohibiting motorized access that the bill would require them to break in order to continue their tax status.

In the article, Sen. Casperson said that the bill was about public access, but conservancies already allow public access. All you have to do is walk in. This bill, unfortunately, continues language included in other recent bills -- like SB 1238 and the Land Cap Bill -- which attempt to restrict quiet-use areas.** There is nothing wrong with having some areas of public land open to motorized trails, but there is nothing wrong with conserving some areas for quiet uses like hiking and cross-country skiing, either. After all, since when does enjoying nature require a whirring engine?

Notes:
* Click here to read Jeff Alexander's Aug. 23, 2012, Bridge Michigan article, "Land Wars: Senator targets private land conservancies."

** Click here to read Michigan LCV's Jan. 13, 2012, article on Casperson and the Land Cap Bill.

Read more articles on the Michigan League of Conservation Voters Aug. 27, 2012, Political Week in Review.

Michigan League of Conservation Voters: Romney picks climate-denying Paul Ryan as running mate

By Ryan Werder, Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Posted Aug. 13, 2012, in Michigan LCV's "Political Week in Review"

Mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan as his nominee for Vice President this weekend. Ryan, a congressman from Wisconsin's 1st District, has an abysmal 3 percent score on the current national League of Conservation Voters Scorecard and a 20 percent lifetime score. I suppose it could be fun to see my name on so many lawn signs soon, but Romney’s pick doesn’t make it worth it. 3 percent is simply awful.

Ryan's shift toward the extreme end of the anti-conservation wing of his party and Mitt Romney's selection of him as a running mate is a dramatic turn away from the conservation legacy traditionally supported by Republicans. While the trees in Michigan might be the right height for Mitt Romney, his VP is the wrong pick for Michigan and our Great Lakes.

See also:

25 by 25 Will Create 94,000 Jobs

A Michigan State University study released Friday predicts that the 25 percent by 2025 renewable energy ballot proposal (25 percent by ‘25) will create at least 74,000 jobs, though that doesn’t even incorporate all the manufacturing jobs that will be created; added together, we’re looking at 94,000 new jobs in Michigan! Read more ...

Click here to read more from the Michigan League of Conservation Voters "Political Week in Review."

Michigan LCV: Benishek named to "Flat Earth Five"

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters

Political Week in Review: July 24-30

Posted July 30, 2012

Michigan's First District U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek  (R-Crystal Falls) made national headlines this week, and not in a way he’d like. The national League of Conservation Voters named him to the "Flat Earth Five," a group of politicians who inexplicably still reject the scientific consensus of climate change and, as a result, have a big electoral target on their backs. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has committed $1.5 million to show that denying science is not only bad policy, but bad politics, too.

As record temperatures burst thermometers across the country, cherry crops are ruined, senior citizens die due to heat strokes, and farmers require bailouts for their parched fields, it's imperative that our elected officials at least acknowledge the problem if we're ever going to solve it (or at least slow it!).

Click here to read more on Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review.

MIchigan League of Conservation Voters: Political Week in Review

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters:

Posted July 9, 2012

530,000. That is the amount of signatures submitted to state election officials on Friday to place the 25 percent by 2025 Renewable Energy Standard on the November ballot. The public support for this initiative is so overwhelming, the campaign blew past the required 322,000 signatures. This means we are now entering the next phase of the campaign. Brace yourselves, because the momentum will only continue to build from here!

Click here to read more in the Michigan League of Conservation Voters Political Week in Review.

Michigan LCV: Green Gavels and Great Lakes

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters

Posted May 21, 2012

The Michigan Supreme Court just couldn't wait to test out the new Green Gavels accountability tool we launched last week, as they have already issued a brand new ruling that will ripple across Michigan's rivers and lakes. Hundreds of other Michigan voters couldn't wait to test it out, either, though they did so without wearing funny black robes. Well, most of them, at least.

Meanwhile, new bills introduced in the House and Senate could weaken the protections we have for our iconic sand dunes, joining existing legislation to weaken shoreline wetland protections. The Assault on Pure Michigan continues.

Click here to read more on this week's Michigan LCV Political Week in Review.

Michigan League of Conservation Voters: Great Lakes Horror Stories

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters

Posted on their Political Week in Review May 14, 2012

A new sulfide mine may be built a mere two miles from Lake Superior, Asian carp are at the threshold of Lake Michigan, and Pete Hoekstra sees no problem with drilling under the Great Lakes. You'd think we were writing on the day following Halloween, not Mother's Day, with this kind of news.

A new report rates Michigan's sulfide mining laws as "poor," a sterile word for a frightening message that there is little we can do to prevent new sulfide mines from contaminating watersheds. There is good news in the Great Lakes, though. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete its watershed separation study in 2013, two years ahead of schedule. Now, if only the carp will agree to wait on all these studies before invading Lake Michigan... Click here to read these articles on the Michigan League of Conservation Voters Political Week in Review.

Michigan LCV: What the U.P. Mining Boom Means for Michigan

Rio Tinto / Kennecott Eagle Mine near Big Bay, Mich. At right is Eagle Rock, a sacred Ojibwe site, under which the mining company is blasting an entry to the mine. (Photo © Jeremiah Eagle Eye and courtesy standfortheland.com. Reprinted with permission.)

By Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Posted April 16, 2012 on Michigan LCV "Political Week in Review"

The Great Lakes Echo had an article today on the resurgence of mining in the Upper Peninsula, detailing both the economic factors driving it and the environmental concerns over it. The Kennecott Eagle Rock mine is especially troublesome, creating numerous environmental concerns over its development. First, it will create a heavily-trafficked new road through "previously untouched forest and wetland areas," rather than using existing road. Second, it will be dug out right beneath the headwaters of the Salmon Trout River, the spawning grounds for the rare coaster brook trout. Finally, and perhaps most astonishing in its disregard to local tradition, the tunnel opening was literally blown out of a sacred Ojibwe spiritual site.*

As has happened before with sulfide mines across the country, the greatest fear is that sulfide waste may leak into the watershed or that the mine's roof could collapse underneath the river's headwaters.

Four groups are suing to stop the mine: the National Wildlife Federation, the Huron Mountain Club, the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve, and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. Their case was dismissed in November, but they appealed to the Court of Appeals in December. How courts interpret and apply Michigan environmental laws are central to how cases like these are decided. For that reason, we'll launch our new Green Gavels accountability tool in the next few weeks so that ordinary citizens can understand the impact that the Michigan Supreme Court -- whose decisions bind all other Michigan courts -- has on the ability of citizens to prevent environmental harm to our state.**

Holding our elected officials accountable on how well they protect our environment is what Michigan LCV does. For those who aren't as aware of the important work we do, though, please check out our cool new video. If you enjoy it as much as we do, please forward it to five friends. Share it on Facebook, Twitter, and Google. The more people that pitch in to let policy makers know they are being held accountable, the better we can all protect the places in Michigan that we all love. (Incidentally, the first fifteen seconds are on that very subject).***

* Read this article, "More U.P. mining in Michigan’s U.P. worries enviros," on the Great Lakes Echo.

** Read about Michigan LCV's Green Gavels.

*** Click here to see the Michigan LCV's new video on YouTube.

Click here to read more articles on the Michigan LCV's latest "Political Week in Review."

Editor's Note: Thanks to Michigan LCV's Ryan Werder for sharing these articles with Keweenaw Now.

Michigan LCV: The changing climate of climate change

From Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Posted on their Political Week in Review April 2, 2012

The legislature is on a two-week Spring Break, but while they're soaking up the sun, we're talking about climate change. Frankly, a break from some of the legislation that has been coming out of Lansing recently is pretty welcome on our side of things, too!

Americans are increasingly aware and concerned about climate change and, according to a prominent retired U.S. Navy admiral who testified in Lansing last week, it is with good reason. Fortunately, there are solutions. The EPA issued a historic set of carbon emission rules this week. Meanwhile cities like Grand Rapids are improving transportation options for their citizens while simultaneously cutting down on carbon emissions. Read more on Michigan LCV's Political Week in Review ...

Transit workers' union backs Michigan renewable energy ballot proposal

LANSING -- The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), a statewide organization representing Michigan public transit workers, has endorsed a Michigan ballot initiative that would raise the use of renewable energy to 25 percent by 2025.

The Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs initiative is collecting petition signatures to put the 25 percent renewable energy standard before voters in November.

A resolution adopted by the ATU states, "Investing in more renewable energy will also help diversify Michigan’s economy, especially Michigan’s manufacturing sector, attracting new investments and opening the door for companies and workers to innovate and diversify so they can truly compete in the 21st Century energy economy."

The ballot proposal also includes strong consumer protections by limiting rate increases to no more than 1 percent in any year. That equates to no more than $1.25 per month for families and businesses to get more of their power from clean, renewable sources.

"We know using public transit helps reduce air pollutants, but we should also be powering our homes and businesses with cleaner, more renewable sources of energy, which is why we support the ballot initiative," said Katie Kelley, president of the ATU Michigan Legislative Conference Board. "Michigan shouldn’t be left in the wake of other states that already have stronger renewable energy standards."*

Mark Fisk, spokesman for Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs, commended ATU members for endorsing the ballot initiative.

"We are thankful for the support of ATU members," Fisk said. "Workers understand this proposal will create more jobs in Michigan that can’t be outsourced."

More information on the ballot initiative can be found at www.MienergyMIjobs.com.

* Editor's Note: See how Michigan compares with other states on renewable energy goals in this week's Michigan League of Conservation Voters Political Week in Review (PWIR). See especially the article, "Gov. Chris Christie Approves 22.5% by 2021 for New Jersey."