Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has announced new efforts to promote more just and equitable environmental protection. On February 1, the agency named a panel of climate and environmental justice experts that will develop an equity-based framework for implementing Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan, which calls for a transition to a carbon-neutral Michigan by 2050.
The new Climate Justice Brain Trust will identify challenges and needs of climate justice communities and provide expert advice and guidance to ensure those communities realize the benefits of the energy sector’s transition to cleaner energy sources. The panel will also inform strategies on climate adaptation, mitigation, and clean energy investments from a climate justice perspective.
EGLE also released its first Limited English Proficiency Plan. The new plan establishes department-wide guidance to ensure meaningful access to programs and services for people who do not speak English as their primary language and/or who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. The plan gives agency divisions and program offices a framework and best practices to identify and engage individuals who need language assistance.
