Mackinac Island – It’s been just under a year since Phil Roos took over as director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
“It’s interesting and challenging,” he told Planet Detroit. “I’ve never been in public service directly before. You might get beaten up – and we do all the time. But just the feeling you have in the morning; I know why I’m doing this.”
Roos, a longtime environmental advocate with a business background, is a former board chair for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
Planet Detroit caught up with Roos Thursday at the Mackinac Policy Conference to learn how his first year has gone and what he’s thinking about for the future. The following transcript is lightly edited.
Planet Detroit: What has surprised you the most about your role as EGLE’s chief over your first year?
Phil Roos: I didn’t fully appreciate the scale of our impact, especially in community development. Half of our budget is allocated to grants, and we spend $4 billion a year on water infrastructure in places like Benton Harbor and Flint. The addition of $290 million to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) this year is a game-changer, increasing our available funds from $700 million to nearly $1 billion. Our program, driven by environmental justice between EGLE and the EPA, received $3.5 billion in requests for SRF funding this year.
We are now able to focus on environmental justice-specific initiatives, such as EJ Impact Grants and Climate Justice Challenge Grants. Regarding the State Revolving Funds, we have ambitious justice goals, and we’ve exceeded Justice40 targets – we’re at 96% for drinking water and 93% for clean water. The Natural Resources Defense Council gave Michigan an ‘A’ grade for equity.
These numbers demonstrate our ability to direct resources to those most need them. I’ve never been in a position to implement so much.
Planet Detroit: What is EGLE’s role in implementing the MI Healthy Climate Plan?
EGLE is the lead in terms of driving statewide and full economic implementation of the plan. We’re not directly responsible for the actions of municipalities, individuals, or organizations, but we are responsible for driving all of that for our department, for all of state government, and then through planning grants and other grants and programs that trickle down to communities and tribes and everybody involved.
It’s a big responsibility, and we don’t want to mess it up. So we’re trying to do it with equity at the center.
Yesterday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a new program to increase housing production and decrease energy costs for low-income Michiganders. Why is this program important to Michigan’s climate goals?
We are now at a stage where initiatives enable everyone to participate in the clean energy boom. Climate change can sometimes seem abstract and daunting, but these programs offer tangible benefits. Each of these programs independently saves about 20% on energy bills. They are specifically targeted at low-income communities, providing energy rebates and access to solar power.
These initiatives are significant because they save people money and give them access to renewable energy and home upgrades. This results in more comfortable homes, increased property values, and improved quality of life. These changes can make a substantial difference, which is truly exciting.
One of the things we’re focusing on right now is leveraging existing programs to make these initiatives more effective. We have utility rebates, state weatherization programs, and other resources compiled into a comprehensive inventory. By integrating these programs, we can create a more cohesive support system for the community.
With home energy rebates, we’ll have touchpoints with many households, allowing us to provide additional information about radon testing, recycling and other public health initiatives. This holistic approach improves home energy efficiency and enhances overall home improvement and safety.
For the “Solar for All” program, we are incorporating private capital and federal and state resources to extend benefits to a broader range of communities, single-family homes and multifamily homes. This integrated approach helps ensure more people benefit from renewable energy and related improvements.
Planet Detroit: You’ve said that economic development and climate progress can work together. One area of concern is the potential impact of water- and energy-intensive data centers, which Michigan is looking to attract and compete for with tax credits. How can Michigan navigate this issue?
EGLE’s role, since we’re not legislators, involves commenting on legislation or providing input when asked. We strive to secure as many protections as possible, especially given the growing presence of data centers. While data centers can be economic drivers, they also pose significant environmental challenges.
On the water and energy fronts, we address issues related to peak energy needs and their management. The Michigan Public Service Commission also plays a crucial role in this. Energy laws require utilities to submit plans detailing their energy sources, guided by the MI Healthy Climate Plan.
I’m encouraged by the fact that some companies in this sector have made public commitments to renewable energy. They seek sustainable solutions, and we believe that we can achieve positive outcomes through a combination of strategies. This gives me hope for our future efforts in balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.
Planet Detroit often reports on overburdened communities with many different sources of air and other pollution. Advocates call for a cumulative impact analysis in the permitting process, as other states have done, to avoid overburdening communities with pollution. What are your thoughts about how to help those communities reduce their pollution burdens?
Our fundamental role in the executive branch is to enforce the laws, though we don’t write them. However, we can support and encourage those working on legislation, including urging the federal government to take an active role. Our primary focus is ensuring the laws are enforced and being as protective as possible within the current legal framework.
In Michigan, we monitor more pollutants than the federal government, which allows us to exceed federal standards in certain areas covered by existing statutes and rules. While overall emissions have declined significantly due to federal and state controls, we recognize there is still a long way to go. We are committed to continuous improvement, especially in engaging more with communities.
One of our key initiatives is the launch of the EJ (Environmental Justice) Impact Grants, with $20 million set aside for community proposals. We are providing crucial technical assistance to community organizations. Flexibility in addressing air quality monitoring across the state has already increased.
In my role, I strive to build direct relationships with the community to truly understand their needs rather than relying on intermediaries. While I am still learning, I see tangible actions we can take in the short term, such as installing air monitors or cleaning up sites. Some issues require collaboration with other parts of the government or entities beyond our direct control.
Our approach involves not just regulatory responsibilities but also being proactive and helpful. We aim to address immediate, tangible issues when we have grant money. Additionally, one of our budget priorities, supported by the governor, focuses on cleaning up contaminated sites and managing tipping fees.
These same communities are often also overburdened by contaminated sites in Michigan. How is EGLE addressing those?
We have 26,000 contaminated sites in Michigan, disproportionately affecting certain communities. Our goal is to triage and address these sites faster. A few years ago, we were cleaning up around 250 sites annually, focusing on the worst cases, which could cost millions and sometimes couldn’t be fully cleaned up but could be mitigated.
Now, we’re cleaning up 750 to 800 sites a year, but we aim to increase this number to the thousands. This effort significantly impacts public health, community well-being, and economic development by turning these sites around. Brownfield redevelopment is a crucial part of this process.
Our last question pertains to wildfire smoke and the exclusion of data collected on days affected by it for consideration in whether areas meet with air quality regulations. Given that wildfire smoke might become a consistent issue, do you have any thoughts on how policy should adapt?
This is a prescribed approach with specific guidelines. It’s not about manipulating the numbers to stay compliant. Wildfire smoke is an exceptional event, and we’ll see if it continues to be an issue in the coming years. If it becomes a regular occurrence, policies may need to adapt. For now, we are following the existing rules and guidelines.
We are also implementing additional measures, such as deploying air sensors, which have improved air quality monitoring. Although the guidelines will not be immediately changed, we are committed to applying them fairly and consistently across all areas.