Advocating for Our Environment

Dear Neighbor,

It’s my honor to serve our West Michigan community in the Michigan Senate, where advancing environmental protections for the greater good of our state is one of my top priorities. From tackling toxic PFAS chemicals in our drinking water to working to expand protections for victims of environmental contaminations, I am proud of my track record of fighting hard for the health and safety of our residents and our environment — especially as we continue grappling with an increasing number of severe weather events and extreme temperatures.

This newsletter provides an update on our legislative efforts to safeguard our environment, build up our clean energy infrastructure, preserve the integrity of our natural resources, and so much more.

As always, I’d love to hear from you about proactive ways we can work together to protect our state’s natural resources. Please feel free to reach out to my office to share your perspective on this or any issue — we are here to serve you.

Sincerely,

For years, Michigan citizens have called for decisive action to address concerns about climate change — concerns that have long gone unaddressed. Last year, my legislative colleagues and I took bold steps to combat the disastrous effects of our climate crisis and create a more sustainable state for future generations.

Our Clean Energy Future plan — comprised of Senate Bills 271, 273, 277, 502, and 519 — are integral to positioning our state as a national leader in clean energy, while also diversifying Michigan’s economy and supporting workers, farmers, and consumers.

Boosts Energy Efficiency & Lower Costs

Clean water infrastructure is essential for maintaining healthy lakes and a thriving environment. Unfortunately, our state’s water infrastructure is outdated, poorly rated, and in need of repair after decades of neglect.

Throughout my time in the State Legislature, I have focused on securing targeted investments and implementing legislation that help to preserve the health of our Great Lakes and enhance our water infrastructure. These efforts include:

• Allocating $600 million to replace lead service lines and rebuild sewers in our state’s most overburdened communities.

• Passing Senate Bills 88 and 89, which require schools and child care centers to install water filters that protect children from the dangers of lead in drinking water.

• Enacting Senate Bill 14 to repeal the state’s “no stricter than federal” law that prevented Michigan officials from strengthening environmental and public health protections that exceeded federal standards. This is especially pertinent to the work of addressing PFAS contamination and keeping residents safe here in West Michigan.

• Securing $3.7 million in federal grants to support the National Wastewater Surveillance System and improve information sharing between partners, accelerating the implementation of wastewater surveillance for public health action.

• Leveraging $1 million in federal grants for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Program to support two green infrastructure projects that address polluted stormwater runoff.

In addition to taking legislative action to tackle the climate crisis, the Michigan Senate prioritized our environment in the 2024 state budget. Through targeted, meaningful investments aimed at protecting Michigan’s natural resources and expanding opportunities for folks to get outdoors, we’re ensuring everyone who calls our state home can enjoy the benefits of our diverse landscapes. Some of these investments include:

• $125 million to the Dept. of Education and Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to help school districts purchase clean, electric school buses.
• $64 million to complete construction of a dam project to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.
• $30 million for the Renewable Ready Communities program, helping to incentivize renewable energy projects throughout the state.
• $20 million in infrastructure grants for the city of Wyoming’s transformational City Center project, which includes 4.6 miles of trails linking greenspaces to a vibrant and walkable urban center.
• $14 million to help implement the master plan at John Ball Zoo, whose mission is to preserve wildlife and wild places and provide world-class education about conservation to West Michigan and the entire state.
• $2.2 million for the Michigan Climate Corps, empowering communities to tackle climate change and protect our environment for future generations.
• $1 million to provide assistance to communities for pollution prevention, monitoring and other remediation activities.

Senate Bills 302 and 303 help more Michigan businesses make investments to lower their energy costs and environmental impact, conserve water, mitigate lead and PFAS, and other projects.

Transforming Obsolete & Contaminated Property