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Support House Bills 4297, 4298 & 4575

Dear Brothers & Sisters,
 
Please contact your State Representatives and encourage them to support House Bills 4297, 4298, and 4575. Please review the talking points provided regarding these bills. While we may not agree with every aspect of these bills, it is the best resolution to promote new generation in the State of Michigan. New generation in the State of Michigan equals man hours for Boilermakers Local 169.
 
Fraternally,
 
Bob Hutsell
Business Manager
Boilermakers Local 169

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Background

With bi-partisan support, the House Energy Policy Committee passed a package of bills, including House Bills 4297-4298, establishing a comprehensive "Michigan First" energy plan.

Key provisions of House Bill 4297:

• Sets an aspirational goal of achieving 30% of energy production from a combination of renewable energy and new energy efficiency by 2025.
• Establishes an Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process for long-term generation planning to ensure affordable rates for customers while complying with the EPA's Clean Power Plan.

Key provisions of House Bill 4298:

• Establishes fair return to service provisions while maintaining 10% Retail Open Access market in Michigan
• Treats all customers fairly and requires all energy providers to play by the same rules for ensuring electric reliability

Key Messages

• House Bills 4297 and 4298 ensures reliability and fairness by making ALL energy providers responsible for reliably serving their customers.
• The House Energy Committee package ensures that Michigan's energy future is clean.  It includes a 30% renewable energy and energy efficiency goal as part of the unity generation portfolio planning process.
• This legislation puts Michigan first, paving the way for over $15 billion of investment over the next 10 to 15 years in the state's electric infrastructure, transforming 30% of Michigan's generation fleet from coal to natural gas and renewable energy.  This investment would also reduce the state's carbon emissions by 30%.
• House Bill 4298 ensures that utility customers are not unfairly subsidizing customers on retail open access.  The current regulatory structure has burdened utility customers with $1.8 billion in subsidies since November 2008.  This is unfair and unsustainable going forward as Michigan looks to build a substantial amount of new generation.
• This proposed legislation establishes reasonable checks and balances to ensure retail energy marketers also engage in good faith power supply planning for the customers they serve.  HB 4298 places reasonable regulations on licensing for retail marketers to offer a critical service to customers in Michigan.  Michigan has every right to enact laws that implement its State powers to address energy needs of its citizens and support Michigan's critical electric infrastructure.