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March 2026
Don’t miss the 2026 MI Healthy Climate Conference - register by the April 13 deadline!
Partners and climate leaders from across Michigan will come together on Tuesday, April 21, to attend the 2026 MI Healthy Climate Conference at the Huntington Place in Detroit. This will be the last climate action conference under Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s leadership, celebrating progress in implementing the MI Healthy Climate Plan and securing Michigan’s future as a climate leader. More than 800 attendees are expected to attend, including representatives from local, state and tribal governments, universities, community organizations, nonprofits, and businesses.
Under the theme “Advancing Climate Action Together,” experts will lead discussions on topics including health, environmental justice, affordability, maritime strategies, energy storage, climate planning, local climate adaptation, climate communications, and many others. Our breakout sessions this year include a two-part Financial Insecurity Simulation designed to bring awareness to real-life financial struggles and systematic barriers that regularly affect Michiganders.
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Communicating Climate Action with Impact
We are thrilled to announce John Kotcher, Research Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University, as our keynote speaker! Since 2007, George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication has helped change the way local media, communities, and organizations talk about climate change. Dr. Kotcher leads a dynamic team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students dedicated to exploring effective strategies for communicating climate change and air pollution. Together, their work empowers organizations to engage and activate citizens in shaping our society’s response to these important issues.
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Don’t miss the deadline - Registration closes on April 13!
Attention Michigan Local Governments!
Join us on April 16 for a pre-conference webinar
Local government staff are invited to join leaders from across Michigan for a webinar on April 16 from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., ahead of the MI Healthy Climate Conference, “Advancing Climate Action Together.”
During this session, aimed to support local governments advance climate action, Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Office of Climate and Energy will share key insights from Michigan’s 2021 greenhouse gas inventory and updates on implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan. The webinar will also create space for local governments to share their experiences, challenges, and priorities for climate action. Participants will help identify how the state can better support local efforts while connecting with peers, learning about existing partnerships, and exploring opportunities for collaboration. By making connections and sharing ideas ahead of the conference, attendees can deepen their knowledge, build relationships, and get even more out of the conversations to come.
Michigan Green Communities Challenge is open!
The Michigan Green Communities Challenge (MGCC) is an annual program that outlines actionable steps aimed at helping local governments in Michigan enhance their sustainability efforts. Participation is free and the program is open to all local governments in Michigan, including counties, townships, cities, and villages. The Challenge reporting period is open until May 1. Learn more.
MGCC participants get free conference registration!
Your local government can access up to two free registrations to the MI Healthy Climate Conference (and MISCON!) by participating in the annual Michigan Green Communities Challenge. The April 16 pre-conference webinar above is part of the Catalyst Committees Initiative, a comprehensive program to provide education, training, planning and technical resources to local governments as they work toward their sustainability goals. It is led through a partnership with the University of Michigan's Graham Sustainability Institute, Michigan Green Communities, and EGLE.
Email info@migreencommunities.com with your questions.
Request for Proposal to Support Michigan’s Climate Resiliency and Adaptation Planning
EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy seeks an experienced consulting team to provide Michigan state agencies with an independent, Michigan-specific assessment that supports informed decision-making on resilience and adaptation planning and implementation. This project is intended to generate actionable modeling and policy insights that enable the State of Michigan, and by extension partners such as local governments, to prepare for the impacts from climate change. These studies and maps will help ensure Michigan’s climate action is measurable and grounded in strong analysis.
Proposals are due April 2.
Instructions
- Go to Michigan.gov/sigmavss;
- Click on the "SIGMA Vendor Self-Service (VSS)" Link;
- On the blue banner near the top of the page, click once on the right arrow and select "View Published Solicitations";
- In the Published Solicitations Search box, type in "climate vulnerability" in the Keyword Search, and click "Search";
- The corresponding RFP will show up below the search box; click on the "Solicitation Number" (RFP-761-260000001452-1); and
- Under the attachments tab, one will find the RFP.
Continuing the Climate Action Momentum: The new cohort of MI Healthy Climate Fellows welcomes returning faces
Returning MI Healthy Climate Fellows pictured at the 2026 Orientation. From left to right, Mallory Meston, Damaris Potter, Jessica Austin, Destiny Stetina, and Charlotte Mayworm.
In January, EGLE's Office of Climate and Energy and the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan launched the third cohort of the MI Healthy Climate (MHC) Fellows Program, a statewide leadership development program advancing climate action. There are a few familiar faces in the cohort this year. Of the 15 fellows, five are returning for another year of work across the state, advancing progress on the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan. Learn more about the impactful work of five returning Fellows, catalyzing climate action across Michigan. Read the article here.
MI Healthy Climate Challenge: Spotlight on Industrial Innovation
Michigan’s next MI Healthy Climate Challenge (MHC Challenge) will focus on industrial decarbonization and represent Michigan’s next step in powering industrial climate leadership! Details will be announced soon.
Industrial Efficiency and Cost Savings Needs Assessment Survey:
In preparation for the new MHC Challenge and to inform state policy development, the OCE is inviting feedback online through the Industrial Efficiency and Cost Savings Needs Assessment Survey. This survey includes open-ended opportunities to offer specific feedback on the grant program. It will inform statewide planning and program design related to energy efficiency, cost savings, operational improvements, and industrial decarbonization or sustainability initiatives.
Feedback shared by March 31, 2026, will be considered in the development of the new MHC Challenge; feedback received later will continue to inform state policy development.
Learn more at MI Healthy Climate Challenge.
EGLE’s "Clean, Safe, and Affordable" guide addresses health, cost savings, decarbonization
A new policy roadmap released in March lays out plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from Michigan’s residential building sector by 2050, while creating jobs, improving safety, and lowering utility bills. The "Clean, Safe, and Affordable: A Policy Roadmap for Efficient and All-Electric Homes in Michigan” roadmap provides policy recommendations for energy efficiency and building electrification, charting a course to meet statewide building decarbonization goals.
The roadmap serves as a key implementation strategy for the MI Healthy Climate Plan because residential buildings account for a significant share of Michigan’s greenhouse gas emissions, transforming how homes are heated, cooled, and powered is essential to meeting statewide climate targets.
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EGLE Story Map details the life of woman who researched the effects of carbon dioxide on the atmosphere
As part of Women’s History Month, we are putting a spotlight on a story map on the life of Eunice Newton Foote, a scientist who was the first to describe the warming impact of greenhouse gases on the atmosphere. EGLE Classroom created the story map as part of updated lessons in the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) climate change collection. MEECS is a state-specific environmental education curriculum support funded and managed by EGLE to help students learn about Michigan's economy and environment through inquiry oriented, data-based lessons in science and social studies.
The story map reviews the legacy of Foote, who conducted pioneering research on the effects of carbon dioxide on the Earth’s atmosphere. Her work laid the foundation for our understanding of climate change.
Updates from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC)
Michigan’s clean energy laws are critical enablers to achieve our MI Healthy Climate Plan goals. The state regulatory authority behind the implementation of our clean energy laws is the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). Every month, EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy will feature a different aspect of the MPSC’s role to explain how Michigan’s clean energy policy links to its climate targets.
MPSC’s focus in 2025 included improving elective reliability, managing affordability, and protecting consumers
Improvement in electric reliability, maintaining affordable energy and consumer protections in response to data center development are among the highlights of the MPSC’s 2025 Annual Report. The report notes significant reductions in outage times and continued progress in grid resilience, alongside residential energy costs that remain below the national average, while also highlighting expanded energy assistance and growth in renewable energy. Read the full 2025 Annual Report.
MDARD awards Regenerative Agriculture Education and Outreach Grants
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development awarded $296,299 to Conservation Districts across the state to expand and enhance education and outreach events that promote regenerative agriculture practices and farmer-to-farmer networks. These grants will help to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture across Michigan and support farmer-led innovation.
Learn more about the regenerative agriculture education and outreach grants: MDARD - Regenerative Agriculture Education and Outreach Grants.
Opportunities and Resources
Open EGLE Funding Opportunities
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State High Water Infrastructure Grants
The Michigan Legislature appropriated $14.35 million to EGLE for a grant program to provide infrastructure and planning grants that directly address the impacts and vulnerabilities presented by severe weather events, with a focus on projects that address flooding, coastline erosion, urban heat, and stormwater management. Additional information can be found on the Grant Funding webpage. Applications are to be submitted to KirkpatrickE@Michigan.gov and must be received no later than April 10, 2026.
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Clean Fuel and Charging Infrastructure Program
EGLE opened a second RFP under the Clean Fuel and Charging Infrastructure Program, making $10 million in initial funding available to support the deployment of publicly available Level 2 alternating current and/or direct current fast charging electric vehicle charging stations across Michigan. Grants are capped at $500,000 and reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please visit Clean Fuel and Charging Infrastructure Program.
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MI Home Energy Rebates (MiHER)
Home energy rebates are available to Michigan residents to help make their homes cleaner, and more efficient, reliable, and affordable. For more information, visit Home Energy Rebates.
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Michigan Clean Diesel Program
EGLE is offering grants for projects that will reduce diesel emissions by replacing old vehicles, engines, and equipment, with all-electric vehicles and equipment. These grants focus on local government fleets, recycling vehicles, compost and food waste recovery vehicles, agriculture, and irrigation equipment. For more information, visit the Michigan Clean Diesel Program webpage.
Additional Funding Opportunities
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Michigan Supplier Conversion Grant Program
The Michigan Supplier Conversion Grant Program will support small- and mid-sized automotive manufacturers shift from producing parts, components, or materials for internal combustion engine vehicles, to materials needed in the electric vehicle supply chain. Eligible manufacturers may use these funds to offset costs associated with fixed assets, machinery and equipment, technology, and training to support the transition of new production for electric vehicles or components. Applications are due April 9 at 3:00 p.m. More information can be found at the LEO - Michigan Supplier Conversion Grant Program webpage.
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Clean Energy Tax Credits are Still Available!
Clean energy tax credits enable American taxpayers and taxpaying entities to cover 30% or more of eligible clean energy technology costs.
MI Healthy Climate News
Upcoming Events
Visit Michigan.gov/Climate for more information.
Follow @MichiganEGLE and the #MiHealthyClimate conversation on X.
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