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Friends, As the winter weather really kicks in, I hope you are staying safe and staying warm. We have been keeping busy since the onset of the new year in the legislature — you can read more about what I’ve been up to in the legislative updates section of this e-newsletter. I’ve also included information on Black History Month, environmental updates on Stellantis and the Gordie Howe International Bridge, upcoming events, and more COVID-19 resources.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is holding Black History Month events all month long. This is a great way to take part in Black History Month. Let’s honor and celebrate all the amazing accomplishments of Black Americans this month and every single month of the year! Additionally, story time is a great way to teach young children about Black pioneers and trailblazers. For a list of 12 children’s books celebrating Black History, visit PBS Kids. For more information, visit the Museum’s website.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES “Teach Truth” Package Unveiled My bill, Senate Bill 797, would require schools teach Asian American Pacific Islander history. In the wake of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, many Asian American parents and educators reached out to ask what we can do to ensure our children learn Asian American history in our schools. I believe that if we taught the history of all our communities, perhaps we would have better community relations, less hate, and more inclusion. In addition, our students can better learn critical thinking skills and be prepared to live and work in a global community and economy if they learn about the history of people of color. Learn more about the bills on my website.
World Hijab Day is an opportunity to recognize the millions of Muslim women around the world who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty. It’s also an open invitation to women of all walks of life to wear a hijab and stand in solidarity with Muslim women. The hijab is a traditional veil worn around a woman’s hair and chest. It is a very important part of the history of Islam and is a symbol that promotes dignity and respect for women. Nazma Khan, the day’s founder, wanted to create a world where we could be united through our diversity. World Hijab Day is used to raise awareness and to provide education and empowerment. Michigan is a diverse state. World Hijab Day is a fantastic opportunity for us to participate and learn about our neighbors. We have so much to learn from others, and recognizing this day is our chance to proudly display our support of religious freedom.
Fred Korematsu is a civil rights hero and the subject of the landmark 1944 Supreme Court decision Korematsu v. United States. Korematsu was arrested on May 30, 1942, and convicted on Sept. 8, 1942, for defying the government’s order to be moved to an internment camp for Japanese Americans. He appealed his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite many defeats along the way, Fred tenaciously fought for what he believed in and never gave up. Today, his court case and Justice Murphy’s famous dissent is a case study in Civil Rights law. In 1998, President Clinton honored Fred Korematsu with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Earlier this term, I introduced Senate Bill 65, which would make January 30 Fred Korematsu Day an official holiday in Michigan every year. For more information on his legacy please visit korematsuinstitute.org.
In 2018, Rep. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe) and I passed legislation prohibiting the sale of “whip-its” (Nitrous Oxide) to minors and instituted a fine for stores Over the past year, I have been working with law enforcement and community groups in Detroit, such as the Whippet Wipeout Coalition, to learn more about this ongoing issue. It has become clear that, instead of minors, adults are now abusing whip-its at higher rates, and the used whip-it cylinders are a litter nuisance. The Whippet Wipeout Coalition’s mission is to reduce whip-it abuse and littering through community-based intervention methods. The campaign has established collaborative work groups focused on identifying the sources of procurement, building community awareness of health and safety issues regarding nitrous oxide abuse, providing access to nitrous oxide abuse health education, and supporting community-wide collection/disposal of nitrous oxide containers. Last year, in collaboration with the coalition, the City of Detroit prohibited the possession, sale, and consumption of nitrous oxide for recreational purposes. My bill will prohibit stores from selling any paraphernalia used to access nitrous oxide for use as an inhalant.
ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS Stellantis Air Quality Update After receiving odor complaints from residents, EGLE inspected the Stellantis facility and found that it had failed to install equipment that was required for their air quality permit. EGLE created a plan for Stellantis to resolve odor violations and make necessary repairs to ductwork and that they are pursuing escalated enforcement action against Stellantis. Scientists from MDHHS analyzed air samples and determined the presence of chemicals fell below levels that would likely create public health risks, but MDHHS said they will continue to conduct air monitoring and sampling in the area to make a final determination. During the public meeting, I also echoed concerns from the community that the comparison levels for health risks may not reflect what people’s needs are and that cumulative impact and environmental justice are not adequately considered. Last year, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Councilmember Latisha Johnson, and I sent a letter to EGLE encouraging them to include a supplemental environmental project (SEP) in their enforcement action. This should include a voluntary relocation program and additional home repair efforts. My team and I will remain in contact with affected residents and EGLE and continue to follow these important issues closely. For more information and to stay updated on air quality in the area, visit EGLE’s Stellantis Facilities page here. If you have air quality concerns, you can report them to EGLE’s Air Quality Division in Detroit at (313) 456-4681 or call the Pollution Emergency Alerting System at 800-292-4706
The comment period will remain open until March 14, 2022. Bridging North America is proposing installing a new natural gas fired unit that will create heat and power, new emergency engines, and other equipment in support of the new U.S. Port of Entry and the proposed new Gordie Howe International Bridge, located at 1001 Springwells Court in Detroit. Co-generation is an energy efficient technology that generates electricity and captures the heat that would otherwise be wasted to provide thermal energy to the Gordie Howe International Bridge Plaza. The unit will not always be operational. For more information on the unit, visit here. The greenhouse gas emissions from this onsite unit are expected to be much less than if the site were to use the local electricity grid. The CO2 emissions from the co-generation unit are expected to be equivalent to one truck with 99% less sulfur and NOx, 90% less particulate, and 80% less carbon monoxide. There is a public hearing taking place on March 1 at 6 p.m. Click here to join the meeting or call 636-651-3142, 374288#. The public is encouraged to review information about the proposed changes and draft air permit. Comments may be given at any time before the end of the comment period on March 14. The proposed project summary gives an overview of what Bridging North America is requesting, the contents of the draft permit, and what this may mean to local residents. Or you can submit public comments by email to EGLE-AQD-PTIPublicComments@michigan.gov. For more information, visit EGLE’s website on the hearing.
UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, Feb. 11, at 10 a.m. — Virtual coffee hour with Rep. Camilleri After hearing so many concerns from residents about long-term elevator outages in their buildings, my team and I began to investigate this issue. We had meetings with various agencies, United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC), and Detroit Disability Power (DDP) to find potential solutions to this ongoing problem. Together, we have drafted two bills to require building owners to provide tenants with accommodations in the event of elevator outages, including: temporarily relocating tenants to another building, covering a hotel stay, or engaging volunteer groups to assist residents who have mobility issues by delivering them necessary items. Additionally, building owners will be required to submit plans to tenants and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority outlining what accommodations will be offered during an outage. If you want to be included in future discussions around these issues, please send us an email at senschang@senate.michigan.gov and save the date for our virtual townhall on March 3rd.
COVID-19 RESOURCES COVID-19 Test Kits
Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) District Offices in Wayne County
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