Insider Intelligence

This week members of the House Democratic caucus held a press conference to urge the legislature to take immediate action to strengthen PFAS water quality standards. Since PFAS was first discovered in private Michigan wells last year, 16 out of 83 counties have identified contaminated sites, with thousands of additional sites still being tested. The […]

This week, Governor Rick Snyder announced his initial appointments to the Environmental Permit Review Commission. "This board will work to protect Michigan’s environment by having field experts on the committee carefully review all permits to ensure projects are in the best interest of preserving Michigan’s resources and environment,” Governor Snyder said. The commission is comprised of 15 members appointed by the governor with experience […]

This week, Sir Kim Darroch KCMG, the British Ambassador to the United States, met with Governor Rick Snyder. The meeting focused on ways Michigan and the United Kingdom can work together to develop and promote electric vehicle technologies.  Earlier this year, Governor Snyder signed a  Memorandum of Understanding with Minister Richard Harrington of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom […]

State Treasurer Nick Khouri announced that the State of Michigan sold more than $149 million in General Obligation Environmental Program Bonds. The bonds are being issued under the Great Lakes Protection and Clean Michigan Initiative Program and will primarily support environmental contamination remediation, water infrastructure, asset management plans, and water quality monitoring in communities across […]

This week, Lt. Governor Brian Calley requested that President Donald Trump declare a major disaster for the State of Michigan as a result of the flash flooding that occurred last month. An in-depth assessment of the area concluded that Houghton, Gogebic, and Menominee Counties all experienced damage. The Lt. Governor requested supplementary federal aid in […]

This week, Governor Rick Snyder approved of a strategy removing land purchasing caps for the State of Michigan. The plan provides for legislative approval of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Managed Public Land Strategy and establishes procedures and guidelines for how and when they state can purchase land in Michigan. In 2012, legislation was […]

A six-bill package has been introduced by members of the House Democratic Caucus aiming at protecting public health through enhancing air quality standards. According to the bill sponsors, the package focuses on environmental justice, transparency, accountability, local control, and expanding permit criteria. The legislation as introduced would: Require all state departments and agencies to consider […]

The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) announced plans to conduct a state-wide study of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in public water supplies. The cost of the comprehensive study is $1.7 million. PFAS compounds are a group of emerging and potentially harmful contaminants used in thousands of applications globally including firefighting foam, food packaging, […]