Dear Neighbor,
I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying the summer sun and taking the necessary precautions to stay cool and healthy amid the high temperatures. As we recognize July as National Lakes Appreciation Month, it’s a perfect excuse to get out and enjoy one of Michigan’s many freshwater lakes.
In this newsletter, I want to take a moment to catch you up on the many things our team has been working on both in Lansing and District 10. With the summer finally here, we have more time to be out in the community, connecting with residents, and listening to their thoughts and ideas for how we can move our state forward.
Featured in this newsletter:
- Celebrating Michigan’s Many, Many Lakes During National Lakes Appreciation Month!
- The Michigan DNR Wants to Hear About Your Trail Experiences
- Detroit’s Solar Neighborhoods
- How to Keep Cool This Summer While Reducing Energy Costs
- Governor Whitmer Announces Grants to Secure Future of Advanced Automotive Manufacturing in Michigan
- Be on the Look Out for Important Voter Information
- Unclaimed Property
If you have any questions, want to comment on pending legislation, or resolve any issues in state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office by phone at (517) 373-8360 or by email at SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov.
Sincerely,
Paul Wojno
State Senator
District 10
Celebrating Michigan’s Many, Many Lakes During National Lakes Appreciation Month!
Here in Michigan, we take pride in being known as the Great Lakes State. Our five Great Lakes are the source of 20% of Earth’s total fresh water. In addition to these, Michigan is also home to more than 11,000 inland lakes (You can find one near you using this interactive map).
Our lakes and various waterways are integral to the health of our families and our economy. The Great Lakes system is invaluable as the source of drinking water for more than 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada, and the Great Lakes shipping industry generates more than $36 billion in economic activity and supports more than 664,000 jobs. Our lakes also provide families with unmatched recreational opportunities.
Since taking office, my colleagues and I have:
- Secured $600 million in the 2024 state budget for statewide water infrastructure projects, replacing lead service lines, rebuilding sewers, and more.
- Championed the historic Clean Energy Future package which sets clean energy standards, promotes energy efficiency, and creates the Office of Community and Worker Economic Transition.
- Passed legislation to require environmental protection and cleanup standards to ensure bad actors pay to clean up their pollution, rather than having taxpayers foot the bill.
- Repealed a harmful law that restricted Michigan officials from implementing environmental and public health safeguards beyond federal standards, empowering Michigan to protect its natural resources and environment more effectively.
During National Lakes Appreciation Month, my colleagues and I remain committed to building on this work and advancing legislation to strengthen environmental protections, so future generations of Michiganders can enjoy our state’s lakes for years to come.
The Michigan DNR Wants to Hear About Your Trail Experiences
There’s a reason we’re known as the Trails State — Michigan is home to more than 13,400 miles of state-designated trails and local and regional options that offer something for everyone. This summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants to hear what trail visitors have to say about biking, hiking, track-chair operating, paddling, horseback riding, off-road vehicle riding, and snowmobiling these pathways.
The online survey includes questions about the kinds of activities enjoyed on trails, conditions, and amenities that make for a great trail experience, frequently visited trail regions in Michigan and more. Survey findings will be analyzed and shared with the Michigan Trails Advisory Council.
Take the Michigan Trails Experience Survey — open now through August 1, 2024.
Detroit’s Solar Neighborhoods
The Mayor of Detroit, Mike Duggan, has announced the first three solar neighborhoods. Gratiot/Findlay, Van Dyke/Lynch, and State Fair neighborhoods have been selected to host the first three solar arrays, following extensive seven months of community engagement. This project aims to repurpose blighted vacant land and install solar fields. These investments will allow Detroit to be a national leader in fighting climate change. This first phase will create 103.9 acres of solar arrays and bring the city halfway to its goal of around 200 acres. Achieving this goal would allow Detroit to generate enough clean energy to offset the electricity used by all 127 of its city municipal buildings.
Additionally, there are 159 documented owner-occupied homes in the areas adjoining the new solar fields. The homeowners selected the boundaries of the adjoining community benefits zones. Those 159 homeowners will receive home improvements ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 (depending on the number of solar acres). The eligible home improvements are energy efficiency upgrades to the homes, options such as:
- Windows
- Repairing roofs
- Residential solar panels
- Energy-efficient appliances
- Home insulation and air sealing
- Energy-efficient furnaces and hot water heaters
- Installing smart thermostats
- Energy-efficient lighting \
- Battery backup
These homeowners who stayed will get the double benefit of having the most blighted areas replaced by solar fields and will have their neighborhood homes upgraded with new investment.
To learn more about this historic investment please click here.
How to Keep Cool This Summer While Reducing Energy Costs
With Michigan fully settled in for another hot summer, folks looking for ways to keep cool at home have options that can provide comfort and cut costs.
The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) notes that there are many methods, large and small, to help customers beat the heat affordably, while also helping reduce stress on the power grid when demand is at its peak during weekday summer afternoons.
Minor actions like raising your thermostat a couple degrees — especially if you’re not at home — can save on your electric bill while maintaining a comfortable temperature.
“During periods of high temperatures, safety is paramount,” MPSC Chair Dan Scripps said. “We encourage Michiganders to take steps to stay safe and ensure they’re using energy wisely. Cutting back on home electricity use where possible — while preserving safety and comfort — also helps to maintain reliability and keep costs down for all utility customers.”
Electricity generation is at its costliest during hot summer weekday afternoons, when residential demand for electricity to power air conditioning peaks. Small acts — such as turning up the AC a few degrees, postponing doing laundry or delaying running the dishwasher — can help keep your energy bill in check. Installing and setting a programmable thermostat could help you save up to 10% yearly on heating and cooling costs.
The state’s two largest electric utilities, DTE Electric Co. and Consumers Energy Co., both have two-tiered for electricity during summer weekdays to reflect the cost of generating power more accurately during peak times. The cost of electricity is higher in the afternoon and lower all other hours of the day. Shifting electricity use to mornings or later in the evenings when rates are lower leads to longer-term cost savings for customers, by avoiding the need for utilities to build more generation or contract more supply to serve customers.
Here are tips from the MPSC and the U.S. Department of Energy to help cut costs while staying comfortable this summer.
Keep Cool
- Close curtains and shades on windows during the day to keep the sun from heating the inside of your home.
- During moderate temperatures, use fans and open windows. Using a ceiling fan allows you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees without impacting your comfort.
- When you cook, use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of the kitchen. Consider grilling outside instead of using the stove or oven. If you run the dishwasher, consider letting dishes air dry instead of using the dishwasher’s heater.
- Insulate your attic and walls, and seal cracks and openings to prevent warm air from leaking into your home.
- Insulate and seal ducts — air loss through ducts accounts for about 30 percent of a cooling system’s energy consumption.
- Use the bathroom fan when taking a hot shower to help remove heat and humidity from your home.
Use AC Wisely
- If you use air-conditioning, check with your utility about voluntary programs that cycle air conditioning for a rate discount.
- When possible, install your window air-conditioner, or the compressor unit of your central air-conditioner, on a side of your home or building that is shaded. Direct sunlight falling on an air-conditioning unit increases the cost to run it.
- Keep the compressor unit of a central air conditioner free from leaves and other debris that can clog vents.
- Make sure your cooling system is well tuned with periodic professional maintenance, and clean or replace air filters once a month or as needed.
- Shut vents or close off unoccupied rooms, which can save 5 to 10 percent on your cooling costs.
- Buy an ENERGY STAR-qualified air conditioning unit — on average, they’re up to 15 percent more efficient than standard models.
Check out the MPSC’s Be Summerwise page and its Beat the Heat and Save tip sheet to find more tips and resources. The Department of Energy also has extensive suggestions to save on energy costs.
For information about the MPSC, visit Michigan.gov/mpsc, sign up for their monthly newsletter or other listservs. Follow the MPSC on Facebook, X/Twitter or LinkedIn.
Governor Whitmer Announces Grants to Secure Future of Advanced Automotive Manufacturing in Michigan
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced Michigan has been awarded a $657 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support good-paying manufacturing jobs and help Michigan build out its EV infrastructure by retooling existing factories for the transition to electric vehicles. This will allow Michigan to stay competitive with other countries such as Mexico, Europe, and China. This funding will also protect existing jobs and generate new ones while driving economic growth.
Be on the Look Out for Important Voter Information
The Michigan Department of State has announced that they will be mailing post cards with important voter information ahead of the upcoming primary election. These postcards will be mailed to every household with at least one registered voter. These postcards will contain important information on when and how to vote in the upcoming Primary Election on August 6, 2024, and the General Election happening on November 5, 2024. It is important to remember early voting for the Primary Election starts tomorrow July 27, and will run until August 4, to find a location please visit Michigan.gov/EarlyVoting. You may also vote by mail and in-person on election day. For more voter information please visit mvic.sos.state.mi.us.
Unclaimed Property
The Michigan Department of Treasury has millions of dollars in lost or forgotten assets from dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, valuables left in safe deposit boxes, and stock certificates. Due to these properties being considered abandoned and unclaimed by the bank or company entrusted with them, they are turned over to the state, as required by law. The Michigan Department of Treasury is the custodian of these assets and returns them to their owners (or the owners’ heirs) when they are rightfully claimed. If not claimed these items will sit untouched, which is why it is important to check to see if you have unclaimed property. To check for yourself, family, and friends in Michigan, please visit unclaimedproperty.michigan.gov. To check nationally, please visit unclaimed.org.