Dingell to introduce a Hybrid Carbon Tax

While the State Central Committee of GPMI recently failed to pass a Carbon Tax proposal, MI representative John Dingell will introduce a bill to phase in a tax on coal, oil and natural gas that will grow to $50/ton of carbon over 5 years.

The bill will use some of the monies to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to address the impact of the increased fuel costs, much like the proposal before the SCC, which would have provided rebates to low income families and individuals.

A summary of Dingell's bill can be found here.

Another Detroit is Possible

Report Back on US Social Forum

Saturday Sept 22, 2007
11:00 AM to 1:00 pm

Central United Methodist Church
23 East Adams at Woodward Ave

Video, audio and eyewitness accounts of workshops & demos Community Potluck, bring a dish to share.

Hear Speakers, Devise Strategy, Take Action!

Download flyer here.

Green Party Presidential Candidate Jared Ball Speaks

Press Release: Proposed new coal plant would undermine move toward cheaper, cleaner options

Contact:

Hugh McDiarmid Jr., Michigan Environmental Council: 248-660-4300

Kim Pargoff, Environment Michigan: 310-429-9160

Jan O’Connell, Sierra Club Michigan Chapter: 616-956-6646

September 14, 2007

WHY?

Proposed new coal plant would undermine ongoing state plan for cleaner, cheaper options. Why?

A new coal-burning power plant proposed today by Consumer’s Energy in Michigan’s Thumb region fits few of the criteria described by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and other key state leaders who’ve vowed a new era of clean energy at stable prices.

“For months the Governor, the Public Service Commission, legislators, businesses, environmentalists and – we thought – utilities, have been working toward an enlightened plan to save money by reducing electricity use through efficiency and to generate more power from clean, job-rich technologies like wind and solar,” said Hugh McDiarmid Jr. of the Michigan Environmental Council.

“Ratepayers should have one question of Consumers Energy’s bid to slow down these cleaner, cheaper options with a new coal plant and its promise of 60 years of polluting Global Warming emissions. That question is, ‘Why?’”

The coal plant would:

Ø Do nothing to move Michigan toward becoming the “epicenter” of alternative energy development envisioned by Governor Granholm.

Ø Decrease Michigan’s percentage of renewable energy generation at the very time state leaders are considering aggressive new renewable power targets.

Ø Discourage efforts to re-establish energy efficiency programs that would provide energy savings at one-third the cost of a new coal plant.

Ø Increase pollution and Global Warming gas emissions at the very moment state and federal leaders are working on plans to curb them.

Ø Saddle ratepayers with continued reliance on expensive out-of-state coal imports, part of $20 billion that Michiganders annually send to other states and countries for imported fuels. This comes at a juncture where consumers are asking for more home-grown power options like wind and solar to provide desperately-needed in-state jobs for contractors, installers and manufacturers.

“Wind, solar, biomass, and cheap and easy energy efficiency programs are on the table. That’s because there’s universal recognition that those options are the smartest, the quickest to implement, and the least dependent on expensive out-of-state fuel imports,” said Kim Pargoff of Environment Michigan. “Trumping them with the latest version of 150-year-old coal technology moves us backward when we need to be moving ahead.”

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Cynthia McKinney Withdraws Name From Consideration for Green Party Presidential Nomination

In a very surprising move, Cynthia McKinney, Georgia Congresswoman, declares she is no longer seeking the Green Party presidential nomination. Citing political conditions, personal issues and the 'level of development within the Party', this move says more about our Party's ability to attract quality candidates than anything else.

Michigan Greens drop support for Craig Covey

Craig Covey, a Ferndale councilperson is now running for mayor of the city. As he had been endorsed by the local Ferndale Greens in the past and they are no longer active, the state party was asked to endorse his mayoral campaign. Craig Covey has worked with the Green on many issues, particulary in passing Ferndale's Instant Runoff Voting measure.

He is both a Green and a Democrat.

Even though this is a non-partisan race, his affiliation with the Democrats was the primary source of opposition to the endorsement.

The proposal for endorsement fell slightly short of the 2/3 needed to pass.

Interestingly, the State Central Committee didn't even wait to see his vetting questionaire before making their decision.

I believe this was a big mistake on our part, cutting off our nose to spite our face.

'Unions struggle as clout erodes' on Labor Day 2007

Elena Herrada of "Detroit Worker's Center/El Centro Obrero de Detroit" says it best: "Unions matter because workers matter."

Enjoy your Labor Day holiday, courtesy of organized labor.

More meditations on Labor Day.