LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – During another House legislative session lasting after midnight, a series of energy bills were passed affecting who controls what projects are accepted in the state, as well as what types of energy would be permitted in Michigan’s future. 

Senate Bills 271, 273, 502 and 519, as well as House Bills 5120-5123 passed along party lines. 

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Representative Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) criticized the carbon neutrality plan as “irresponsible, rushed, and will be costly for Michigan families and businesses.” 

“Michigan families are already paying too much for electricity that isn’t reliable,” Outman said. “Rural communities like ours have experienced energy outages in recent years that only stand to get worse under these bills. The people of Michigan don’t want this plan, that’s why Democrats are stepping in to force it on them regardless of what local communities have already decided.”

 Also serving on the House Energy Committee, Rep. Outman compared Michigan’s new clean energy standard – which mandates energy produced without greenhouse gas emissions of natural gas fuels – of 80% by 2035 and 100% by 2040 to California’s energy standards. 

“Even California is backpedaling after its overly ambitious carbon neutrality targets resulted in rolling blackouts,” Outman said in a statement. “They’re scrambling to reverse course to allow natural gas and nuclear plants to remain operational. A policy that’s too radical for California definitely isn’t right for Michigan.”

A supporter for the Senate Bill package, Elevate – a non-profit organization advocating for clean and affordable heat, power, and water in communities – didn’t think that the legislation went far enough. 

“Elevate strongly supports the inclusion of a renewable energy standard or a carbon- free energy standard but urges a more aggressive timeline than what is proposed in SB 271,” the group testified before a senate committee, “Elevate also has concerns about the environmental justice, affordability, and public health impacts of including gas with carbon capture/sequestration (CCS) in the definition, especially while the bill does not require utilities to pursue building electrification. CCS is unproven at scale, extraordinarily expensive, and keeps polluting fossil fuel plants operating in underserved communities instead of transitioning to clean, renewable energy which instead would deliver localized pollution reduction and clean energy job benefits.”

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The costs are clear according to Representative Andrew Beeler (R-Port Huron), “higher and higher energy prices for the middle class and small businesses.” 

“The expensive, extreme, and irresponsible energy standards these bills impose are wrong for Michigan residents,” he said in a statement. “Shutting down power plants and eliminating the lion’s share of our electricity production won’t be cheap. Families, local businesses, and schools will get higher bills in their mailbox each month to pay for these costs. What’s more, wind and solar power simply aren’t reliable enough, and the power will go out more often.

Similarly, advocates of the package of bills, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, would allocate control to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for accepting new projects. 

“Let’s permit clean energy projects through the MPSC—just like all other sources of energy,” Gov. Whitmer said, “ This ensures local perspectives are reflected in the planning process while also allowing us to move faster on installation.”

Ahead of the vote, Representative Jaime Greene (R-Richmond) has also written expressing her opposition to the bills, particularly their limits on nuclear power and the potential use of biomass. 

“Nuclear energy stands as an established, reliable source of substantial power, bolstering grid resilience and minimizing emissions,” she wrote. “Beyond traditional nuclear plants, advances in micro-nuclear technology offer safer, adaptable reactors for localized energy generation.  Biomass fuels, hailing from agricultural leftovers, wood waste, and even landfill refuse, furnish Michigan with a valuable resource. By tapping into biomass, we decrease reliance on fossil fuels, bolster local economies, and open doors to employment, particularly in rural settings.”

The Senate Bills have passed in both chambers, but the House equivalent bills must still be ratified before going to the Governor’s desk.