Michigan environmental news: $74.5 million DTE Gas rate hike is less than half utility’s requested amount

➡️ Michigan regulators approve $74.5 million DTE Gas hike, less than half utility’s request Michigan regulators approved a $74.52 million DTE gas rate hike Thursday — less than half of what the utility requested — raising typical residential bills by 3.34%, or $2.87 monthly, starting Oct. 1, MLive reports. The utility’s net rate increase request was $162.7 million. A separate infrastructure surcharge adds 68 cents monthly beginning in 2027. Regulators blocked $284.1 million in costs tied to a ballooning compressor station project, citing thin justification. DTE also must analyze racial disparities in service shutoffs and broaden long-term planning to account for reduced gas reliance. 📌 Source: MLive

➡️ New bills would require Michigan utilities to pay customers for long outages Senate Democrats introduced bills requiring utilities to pay outage credits to customers after outages exceeding 72 hours or four or more annual outages, following storms that knocked out power to 300,000-plus households, WDIV-TV reports. State Sen. Stephanie Chang and co-sponsors say the bills would discourage prolonged outages while barring utilities from recouping credits through rate hikes. DTE touted its $1-billion grid investment, noting 90% of Detroit customers were restored within 48 hours. The bills head to committee next, and versions were also introduced in the House. 📌 Source: WDIV-TV

➡️ Michigan reopens review of Line 5 tunnel permits following Supreme Court decision Michigan environmental regulators will reconsider permits for Enbridge’s Line 5 oil tunnel after the state Supreme Court ruled regulators should have weighed environmental impacts before approving the project, according to The Detroit News. Gov. Whitmer urged Enbridge to abandon the tunnel, calling it “untenable” given likely years of added litigation, and said the pipeline’s capacity could be replaced without major supply disruptions. Tribes and environmental groups praised the move; labor and manufacturing groups criticized it. Enbridge insists it has an existing agreement to proceed. 📌 Source: The Detroit News

➡️ Wisconsin DNR orders Enbridge to halt unpermitted Line 5 bypass work Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources ordered Enbridge to halt work on a temporary Line 5 bypass near Iron County, saying the company built it without required wetland and waterway permits following an Aug. 25 gas liquids spill—the state’s largest ever. DNR Secretary Karen Hyun cited a “pattern of noncompliance,” including unauthorized wetland disturbance and inadequate erosion controls, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Enbridge says it’s working on both cleanup and the bypass simultaneously. The agency may pursue enforcement action. 📌 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

➡️ Benson, James both embrace data center pause as voters sour on projects Both major candidates for Michigan governor, Democrat Jocelyn Benson and Republican John James, have called for moratoriums on new data centers, breaking from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s support for the energy-intensive facilities, the Detroit Free Press reports. Benson wants data centers to negotiate publicly with communities, banning tax breaks and water use; James wants protections before new construction. A poll found 62% of Michigan voters oppose data centers. Critics question what a moratorium accomplishes, while business groups warn pauses could hurt the state’s economic competitiveness. 📌 Source: Detroit Free Press

➡️ Solar, wind, and gas: Consumers Energy lays out long-term energy strategy Consumers Energy unveiled a 20-year energy plan calling for billions in investment across natural gas, solar, wind and battery storage, WLNS-TV reports. The plan prioritizes reliability, affordability, and compliance with Michigan’s clean energy law, while also boosting local tax revenue and jobs, said spokesperson Brian Wheeler. Morningstar analyst Travis Miller noted natural gas remains crucial for grid reliability when renewables underperform. The plan awaits approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission, with work expected to begin in 2027. 📌 Source: WLNS-TV

➡️ Washtenaw County weighs landfill expansion, Northville residents object Northville Township residents are pushing back against GFL’s proposed expansion of the Arbor Hills Landfill in Salem Township, citing distrust after past pollution and unexpected height increases from a previous approved expansion, CBS Detroit reports. Residents want third-party review of compliance and whether expansion is even needed. Washtenaw County Materials Management Planning Committee Chair Joe Ohren said the county is weighing waste reduction against the need for landfill space. No decision was made; further discussion is set before a Nov. 18 meeting. 📌 Source: CBS Detroit

➡️ Facing pushback, Consumers Energy buys more time on dam sale Consumers Energy delayed a state ruling on its proposed $13 sale of 13 hydroelectric dams to Confluence Hydro by 60 days, to Nov. 9, amid broad opposition, Crain’s reports. An administrative law judge had recommended rejecting the sale as against the public interest. Critics, including Gov. Whitmer and the attorney general’s office, worry about shifting dam liability to a private equity owner. Consumers proposed a $270-million safety fund to salvage the deal. 📌 Source: Crain’s Detroit Business

➡️ Palisades nuclear plant cited for radiation protection failures in February Federal regulators found the Palisades nuclear plant failed to follow radiation protection rules after February incidents where elevated airborne radiation went unreported and improperly monitored, according to Michigan Public. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission deemed the two violations of “very low safety significance” and issued no penalties. Palisades spokesperson Nick Culp said the company implemented corrective actions and that no worker approached federal dose limits. The violations come as Holtec International works to restart the plant, which began fuel loading this month. 📌 Source: Michigan Public