This letter is going out to various Michigan legislators representing our area-
Dear Rep. :
We in the SaveTheCampbell.com effort would request that you and other Michigan legislators seek to amend Michigan Act No. 235 [Public Acts of 2023], otherwise known as the “clean and renewable energy and energy waste reduction act”, found at https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/publicact/pdf/2023-PA-0235.pdf . Specifically, we would request that you seek to get amended its definition of “clean energy system” to include “clean coal” plants which either themselves use “carbon capture and storage” or else the plant purchases via contract “carbon capture and storage” equivalent to 90% or more of the carbon dioxide emissions of the plant, as well as being fully conformable to Federal environmental standards for coal plants. It currently recognizes gas plants as clean which utilize carbon capture, but not coal plants.
This change will bring Michigan law into consistency with Federal Government energy policy. President Trump has recently said his Administration will strongly back clean coal, which means it will both back coal plus likely help with costs to ensure it is environmentally responsible.[1] His appointed energy czar Doug Bergum plans to use carbon sequestration to achieve Federal Government goals regarding carbon dioxide emissions.[2] (I personally believe atmospheric CO2 is benign at current levels,[3] but I acknowledge that is not the mainstream establishment view within which we now need to maneuver.)
This amendment will also help bring the Michigan law closer to scientific and technological realism. We have the means to cut CO2 emissions through carbon sequestration technology combined with keeping coal plants like the Campbell open for electric reliability.[4] Also, industry is developing to obtain rare minerals needed to make batteries from coal generation byproducts.[5] We need the combination of coal and gas for energy security,[6] and not just gas. Recent studies have shown gas impacts climate as much as coal, due to methane leaks from inception to end.[7] Furthermore, fracking – a leading method of obtaining gas- is more environmentally problematic[8] than the Wyoming-Montana Powder River Basin coal mining where the Campbell plant gets its coal.[9] Furthermore, our regional grid operator MISO- the preeminent expert regarding our electric grid- implies the current Michigan energy plan endangers our electric grid with over-reliance on what it classifies as unreliable energy sources, so it recommends delaying closure of fossil fuel plants like the Campbell.[10] Current Michigan law recognizes that grid endangerment justifies delay of closure.[11] We need amendment of the law though to reflect how coal can remain a viable energy source not only in the short term, but also in the long term, while at the same time being environmentally responsible.
The SaveTheCampbell.com effort is making good progress. Jamestown, Blendon, and Zeeland Township boards have passed resolutions calling for delay of Campbell closure, and we are encouraged other town boards will be joining them. We also appreciate your publicly expressed concern at the planned 2025 closure of the Campbell plant. All of this matters in our effort to “Save The Campbell”.
Sincerely,
Joseph Parnell McCarter
Volunteer Leader, SaveTheCampbell.com
[1] https://savethecampbell.com/yuge-news-for-ottawa-countys-campbell-plant-trump-administration-will-strongly-back-clean-coal-which-means-they-both-back-coal-plus-likely-help-with-costs-to-ensure-it-is-environmentally-respo/
[2] https://savethecampbell.com/the-federal-governments-planned-pursuit-of-carbon-sequestration-by-2030-under-trumps-newly-appointed-energy-czar-doug-bergum-fundamentally-changes-the-legal-picture-of-precipitously/
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwYVyU_q9Uo
[4] https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/10/why-carbon-capture-is-key-to-reaching-climate-goals/
[5] https://www.smenet.org/What-We-Do/Technical-Briefings/Rare-Earth-Elements-Critical-Minerals-from-Coal
[6] https://savethecampbell.com/ottawa-county-needs-both-coal-and-gas-electric-generating-capacity-for-energy-security-and-has-the-legal-tools-to-keep-them/
[7] https://rmi.org/reality-check-natural-gas-true-climate-risk/
[8] https://environmentamerica.org/articles/fracking-is-an-environmental-disaster/
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnANYiSLgWU
[10] https://www.misoenergy.org/meet-miso/media-center/2024/oms-miso-survey-results-indicate-tight-resource-capacity-in-the-upcoming-planning-year/
[11] https://savethecampbell.com/michigan-law-allows-delay-for-good-cause/