Michigan’s Priority Climate Action Plan Released
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has released the State of Michigan’s Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) which builds from Michigan’s MI Healthy Climate Plan, the state’s strategy for reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and reducing emissions by 50-52% relative to 2005 by 2030.
Read the State of Michigan’s Priority Climate Action Plan.
The PCAP identifies 10 near-term greenhouse gas emission reduction measures which aim to meet climate goals set in the MI Healthy Climate Plan. Development of the PCAP included extensive community and stakeholder engagement, updating Michigan’s greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, and analyses of low-income and disadvantaged community benefits, workforce, and more.
The PCAP identifies the highest emitting sectors in the state and addresses strategies for significant and near-term GHG emission reductions. The following is a summary list of the priority reduction measures organized by key sector:
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ID
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Key Sector
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Priority Reduction Measure
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1
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Electricity Generation
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Drive clean energy deployment including improving siting for renewable energy and energy storage across Michigan, including on brownfields and former industrial sites and emphasizing equitable access for Michigan’s low income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC).
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2
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Electricity Generation
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Invest in energy storage and necessary electric grid investments to enable earlier coal plant retirements and better integrate renewable energy into the electric grid.
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3
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Commercial and Residential Buildings
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Drive building electrification and fuel-switching in existing buildings including an emphasis on LIDACs and electrifying households that currently rely on delivered fuels such as propane and home heating oil.
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4
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Commercial and Residential Buildings
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Reduce household fossil energy use through home repairs, electrical upgrades for building and vehicle electrification, weatherization, and other energy waste reduction investments with an emphasis on ensuring equitable access.
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5
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Commercial and Residential Buildings
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Decarbonize government and nonprofit facilities and infrastructure, with an emphasis on LIDACs, by reducing energy waste, investing in decarbonization solutions, and reducing emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
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6
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Transportation
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Electrify state government, municipal, tribal, and other public fleets, prioritizing equitable access for Michigan’s LIDACs.
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7
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Transportation
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Support just access to public transit and non-motorized transportation options by improving infrastructure, and by increasing routes, frequency, and reliability of available options.
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8
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Transportation
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Encourage adoption of electric vehicles by increasing deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, prioritizing equitable access for Michigan’s LIDACs.
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9
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Industry
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Encourage industrial innovation to advance energy efficiency, fuel-switching, and deployment of cleaner manufacturing technologies prioritizing facilities in LIDACs that may receive significant benefits from reduced industrial sector emissions.
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10
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Industry
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Reduce methane emissions from various sources, including but not limited to food waste, organics diversion, and wastewater treatment facilities with a focus on methane reduction strategies that will bring significant benefits for LIDACs.
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The State of Michigan’s PCAP has been made possible through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. The CPRG program provides essential funding to help states and metropolitan areas develop and implement ambitious climate action plans.
The PCAP will be followed by a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) in 2025 that will identify GHG emission reduction measures across all sectors of the economy and incorporate feedback both from previous and future engagements.
The PCAP, in part, serves as a precursor for Michigan to be eligible to apply for CPRG implementation funds. Eligible entities interested in applying for CPRG implementation grants must apply around priority reduction measures described in an applicable PCAP. In addition to the State of Michigan’s PCAP, which applies across the state, PCAPs were also developed regionally and can be used to determine eligible projects. They include the following:
Metropolitan Statistical Areas:
Tribal Nations and Consortiums (to be available after April 1):
Note that the State’s identified reduction measures are overarching, and individual implementation grant applications should specify emissions quantities applicable to specific projects. Inclusion of measures in the PCAP is not a commitment by the State of Michigan to submit a CPRG implementation grant application to implement the measure. For more information on CPRG Implementation Grants, view the EPA’s CPRG Implementation Grants webpage.
For questions or comments, please view EGLE’s Frequently Asked Questions or reach out via email to EGLE-OCE@Michigan.gov.
To stay informed about implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan and future engagement opportunities, please subscribe to the Michigan Climate Action News and Updates listserv.
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