🚎 No ring, no ride? Detroit’s transit funding could take a hit under Trump’s marriage rule A new federal order ties transportation funding to marriage and birth rates, meaning Detroit—where three in four adults are unmarried—could see serious cuts. Advocates call the move “devastating” and a sneaky way to funnel funds to rural and suburban areas, leaving cities like Detroit struggling with already unreliable transit. Meanwhile, the city is pushing ahead with new hybrid and electric buses, but without federal backing, commuters might be left waiting at the curb. Source: BridgeDetroit
🚗 GOP bill aims to kill EV tax credit, citing ‘luxury’ & China concerns Republican Sen. John Barrasso has introduced a bill to eliminate the $7,500 EV tax credit, calling it a handout for the wealthy and a threat to U.S. supply chains due to China’s role in EV manufacturing. The bill, backed by Senate leadership, would also end EV charger incentives and raise manufacturers’ costs through new fees. Source: Detroit Free Press
🏭 Detroit’s industrial past is still in the dirt, study finds A new study reveals dangerously high levels of toxic contaminants in Detroit’s soil and street dust, including PCNs and PCBs—banned chemicals still lingering from the city’s industrial past. Some sites tested had higher contamination than places in China and Germany, with waste sites and scrap yards as key culprits. Researchers say it’s time for the city to step up and clean house—because these toxins aren’t going anywhere on their own. Source: Michigan Public
💦 Flint lessons keep Michigan on track as GOP targets EPA lead rules While Republicans in Congress try to scrap new EPA rules requiring faster lead pipe removal, Michigan isn’t sweating it—state law already mandates all lead service lines be replaced by 2041. Even if the federal rule is repealed, Michigan’s stricter standards stay in place, thanks to regulations passed after the Flint water crisis. With 500,000 lead pipes still in use statewide, the work is far from over, but at least Michigan won’t be backsliding. Source: MLive
🌪️ Michigan GOP tries to pull the plug on state-approved clean energy Republicans in Michigan want to shut down state-level approvals for large wind and solar projects, arguing that local governments—not Lansing—should have the final say. Supporters of the current law say it cuts red tape and prevents anti-renewable zoning rules from choking clean energy growth. With lawsuits piling up and Trump rolling back federal support, Michigan’s green energy future just hit a political storm. Source: MLive
🌍 Aamjiwnaang First Nation leads fight against ‘Chemical Valley’ pollution Aamjiwnaang First Nation and the Canadian government have launched a historic pilot project to combat environmental racism in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, home to 60 petrochemical plants. The agreement follows years of toxic benzene exposure that far exceeds levels in major cities, with the community facing severe health risks. With the federal government now at the table, Aamjiwnaang is leading the way for Indigenous-led environmental justice across Canada. Source: The Narwhal