See other news releases, Showcasing the DNR stories, photos and other resources at Michigan.gov/DNRPressRoom.PHOTO FOLDER: Larger, higher-res versions of the images used below, and others, are available in this folder.
For immediate release or post as appropriate: February 18, 2020 Contact: SEMCOG Information Center, 313-324-3330
SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, announces the 30-day public comment period for the FY 2020-2021 Annual Operating Budget and Work Program Summary. The work program summary and budget is designed to respond to needs of the region as identified by SEMCOG membership.As the work program is implemented, many of the resulting products are guided by SEMCOG’s Transportation Coordinating Council and task forces, Executive Committee, and/or General Assembly. SEMCOG’s meeting structure provides ample opportunity for input from a variety of interested parties through diverse membership and meetings, which are open to the public; include public comment opportunities; are posted on SEMCOG’s website and social media; and are featured in Regional Update, SEMCOG’s biweekly newsletter.View SEMCOG Annual Operating Budget and Work Program Summary for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2021. For more detail, also view 2020-2021 Work Program for Southeast Michigan for Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2021.Send comments to SEMCOG’s Information Center, 1001 Woodward Avenue, Suite 1400, Detroit, MI 48226-1904; call 313-324-3330; send faxes to (313) 961-4869; or e-mail infocenter@semcog.org. Comments can be made in person at the following meetings:
Executive Committee, Friday, February 21, 2020, 1 p.m., at SEMCOG Offices (1001 Woodward Avenue, Suite 1400, Detroit, MI 48226); present, discuss, and recommend approval of General Assembly adoption of budget and work program summary.
General Assembly, Thursday, March 19, 2020, 4:30 p.m., at Schoolcraft College (18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, MI 48152); present, discuss, and take final action to adopt the budget and work program summary.
Translation of this notice is available upon request free-of-charge. SEMCOG offers interpretation services, including language translation services and signage for the hearing impaired, at public meetings upon request with seven days advance notice. SEMCOG will not exclude persons based on age, religion, or disability. Individuals with disabilities requiring assistance should contact the SEMCOG Information Center, infocenter@semcog.org, or call 313-324-3330. For assistance, contact the SEMCOG Information Center, infocenter@semcog.org, or call 313-324-3330. La traducción de este documento está disponible si se pide y sin costo alguno. SEMCOG ofrece servicios de interpretación, incluyendo servicios de traducción de idiomas y señalización para las personas con discapacidad auditiva, en reuniones públicas si se pide con siete días de anticipación. SEMCOG no excluye a las personas basándose en edad, religión o discapacidades. Los individuos con discapacidades que requieran ayuda deberían contactar al centro de información del SEMCOG infocenter@semcog.org o llamar al 313-324-3330. Para obtener ayuda, contacte al centro de información del SEMCOG a infocenter@semcog.org o 313-324-3330. Arabic translation (PDF)
To date, Consumers Energy has decommissioned seven of its coal-fired power plants and has pledged to no coal, 90% carbon reduction, and 56% electric capacity from renewable energy by 2040. Consumers Energy also plans to double their energy efficiency portfolio therefore taking even more load off the grid allowing for those carbon-based plant retirements. There is a strong call to action, and strong incentives for customers to follow suit by delivering deep energy savings. For the past three years, DNV GL and Consumers Energy have designed and implemented a ZNE program that is structured to lower the barriers to entry by laying out a clear pathway to ZNE.
If you are thinking about, planning, or executing a business venture that is designed to improve the quality of life in the Detroit community, we want to hear from you! You’re invited to attend a special reception at SpaceLab Detroit on March 5, 2020 to share your perspective and to meet and network with others who share your passion for the city. Some questions we will consider and discuss during the reception:
February is Black History month. To honor the occasion, our lead piece spotlights Detroit’s Black Labor movement. Read about the work of General Gordon Baker, Jr. and what he did to fight injustice in the workplace.
To prepare us for the upcoming Michigan primary, our communications team has put together a piece on absentee voting. With the changes to absentee balloting rules, there’s no excuse not to vote. If we are to effectively reclaim our democracy, we must get out and vote.
The Struggle for Justice: Detroit’s Black Labor Movement
We may be historical creatures, but oddly enough, we tend to overlook and forget what it took to get where we are. All too often, this tendency to forget has led to disastrous consequences, not the least of which is taking things for granted. As a hedge against this tendency, and worse, repeating history, it’s important to examine the struggles and sacrifices of those who came before us.
This article examines a segment of history that – in many circles – is not that well known: Detroit’s Black Labor movement. We undertake this examination in homage to this month’s being Black History Month.
African American history – in part because of the woundedness it carries with it – remains an enigma for many of us. One thing is certain, though, African American history is rooted in and driven by an intense struggle for justice. Detroit’s labor history is the story of struggle for justice. The Black Labor movement, in particular, is an even more agonizing and ardent struggle. Read More
Vote for a Sustainable Future
Voting is important. Whether you vote with your dollars by purchasing your everyday staples from a local, sustainable business, or whether you cast your ballot for a candidate that has demonstrated their commitment to justice, voting is one of the easiest, and historically important, ways to make your voice heard. In 2020, for the first time all eligible and registered Michigan voters can apply for an absentee ballot without providing a reason.
So, whether you’ll be out of town, can’t get to your polling place because of work, or simply don’t want to stand in line, you can ask your local clerk to send a ballot to your home so you can fill it out from the comfort of your couch. Here are some tips to make sure your vote is counted: Read More
‘Round the Triple Bottom Line
Business was never meant to simply “maximize shareholder value”. Business is the means by which we lift-up the common good. To meet the challenges of the present day, 3BL business goes much deeper and wider than the linear thinking of the past. Here are some stories exemplifying the depth and breadth of the 3BL economy.
Sustainability: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
If it’s not maximizing shareholder value, then what is it? ESG is an emerging framework that offers an answer to this question.
Local Sustainability and 3BL Related Business Events
Events are chances to connect, discover, and learn. Below are some events that will bring together people who are passionate about the sustainability movement and a triple bottom line economy.
If you’d like us to promote your 3BL business event, please let us know.
FERC’s Orders Require Important Changes in the Energy Market that Will Help States’ Transition to a Cleaner Power System and Benefit Consumers
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently joined five other attorneys general and the California Air Resources Board in urging a federal appeals court to uphold orders by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The orders will allow energy storage resources to fully participate and compete in the wholesale energy market, aiding states in their transitions to cleaner, more reliable and more resilient power systems.
“By facilitating the transition to cleaner energy, storage resources can help us address the climate crisis and improve air quality,” said Nessel. “For this reason, I have joined with my colleagues and the California Air Resources Board in filing this brief.”In Michigan, Consumers Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) includes a reliance on battery storage to help integrate renewable power. By counting on an increase in this battery storage, Consumers Energy’s IRP should eliminate coal-fired power plants entirely by 2040 and reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 90 percent.
The Role of Low-Voltage Transformers in Your Building
As developers
and building owners move forward with retrofit projects focused on energy efficiency,
the role of low-voltage electrical transformers is attracting more attention as
every link in the power distribution system comes under scrutiny for energy
efficiency. Low-voltage transformers are the unsung hero in power systems. They
work in the background, where they are responsible for power distribution to
the entire building. We know from experience that transformers in older commercial
buildings, those that are more than 20 years old, are nearing the end of their
useful lives and are certain to be less efficient than modern transformers
built after the new 2016 Department of Energy* requirements were instituted.
Volunteers, we see you. We see the support you provide to others, the time you commit to deserving organizations and the selflessness you exude. Now is the time for your efforts to be brought into focus.Help the Macomb County Board of Commissioners show gratitude toward the deserving volunteers in your life by nominating them to be recognized at the 31st annual Volunteer Recognition Program. In addition to recognizing those who live in Macomb County who have volunteered their time, or those who live outside the County but volunteer here, the Board will also honor a special individual with the newly created “Senior Volunteer of the Year” award. The recipient of the Senior Volunteer of the Year award must have volunteered in the community since the age 60, along with the other criteria for the overall award program. Criteria for an individual to be honored at the Volunteer of the Year Award program includes:
Volunteering at least 150 hours in 2019
Being at least 18 years of age and 60 years of age for the Senior award
Being a resident of Macomb County or volunteering in Macomb County
Not having received this award in the last 5 years
Nominations forms for the 2020 Board of Commissioner Volunteer Recognition Program must be received by 5 p.m. on March 6. The application information can be found here.
2020 Census: All You Need to Know
Key Facts About the Census:
Self-responding for the Census begins March 23, 2020 and you can respond online, by phone or through a paper questionnaire.
The Census provides a comprehensive picture of our nation that helps determine how billions of dollars in federal funding will flow into Michigan and its communities.
When you respond to the Census your answers are kept anonymous and private information is never published.
Have more questions on the 2020 Census? Join the American Society of Public Administrators-Detroit Chapter for a free event tomorrow, Feb. 20, to learn about its local impact, how to fill it out and any other questions that you may have. The information obtained from the 2020 Census will impact us all for the next decade so take a moment to learn just how important the Census is.This event will feature the following panelists, including members from the County’s Census Counts group:
Liz Vogel: Clinton Township Deputy Supervisor, “Count on Macomb”
Xuan Liu: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Director of Research, “Southeast Michigan Counts!”
Zaineb Hussein: Executive Director of Wayne United
The Meals on Wheels program allows more than 1,700 of Macomb County’s vulnerable population to receive warm meals on a regular basis. This program not only ensures the County’s frail and homebound senior citizens receive a nutritious meal, but it also gives them an opportunity to interact with a friendly face. While your Casual Day donations will support this program, which is locally organized by the Macomb County Action Office of Senior Services, volunteers are also always needed. Routes are delivered Monday – Friday typically between 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Volunteers are allowed to select their own meal pick-up site and deliver meals within their own community. To register as a MOW volunteer or for more information, contact Macomb Community Action Office of Senior Services at (586) 469-5228 or fill out the registration form online.
Oakland County Executive David Coulter set a collaborative tone and ambitious agenda to expand health care for county residents, ensure adults complete needed education and job certifications, move a county division and its staff to downtown Pontiac, and triple defense investment in the county by 2025.
Coulter outlined his “Oakland Together” plan Wednesday evening before a full house at the Flagstar Strand Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Pontiac.
“I believe the fact that Oakland does well means we have an opportunity – indeed a responsibility – to do better,” Coulter said. “We can leverage our strengths to tackle our challenges before they become problems. We can lead and innovate. We can be fiscally responsible with taxpayer money and forward thinking. To do that, we must be Oakland Together. Together as public servants working for the public good, together with our residents and businesses, and together with our region.”
Coulter emphasized important themes to many Oakland County residents and businesses – good government, maintaining the AAA bond rating, a balanced budget, providing services for an aging population, making housing more affordable, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
Who : David Coulter, Oakland County Executive Oakland County residents
What : Oakland County Executive David Coulter will engage residents in a conversation about his Oakland Together plans from his 2020 State of the County address during three town hall meetings in West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, and Troy. His speech set a collaborative tone and ambitious agenda to expand health care for county residents, ensure adults complete needed education and job credentials, move a county division and its staff to downtown Pontiac, and develop an economic strategy for the next decade which includes tripling defense investment in the county by 2025. To register, go to www.eventbrite.com and enter the search term “Oakland County Executive David Coulter.” To replay or learn more about the State of the County, go to www.oakgov.com/sotc.