MARQUETTE, July 14, 2023 — State Reps. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette), Abraham Aiyash, (D-Hamtramck), John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Helena Scott (D-Detroit), chair of the House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee, held an event as part of the Energy Reliability, Resilience and Accountability Task Force Listening Tour. Speaker of the House Joe Tate (D-Detroit) also joined the event with opening remarks.

“Our U.P. communities have unique needs when it comes to energy, so I am very glad we held a forum to hear from Yoopers about their energy concerns,” Hill said. “My fellow legislators and I are going to take their voices with us back to Lansing, as we create smart policies to increase the reliability of our grid and decrease energy costs. Making renewable energy more accessible to Michigan residents is also a big priority for me — this is a key factor in protecting our natural resources and creating a sustainable future for Michigan.”

“Tackling energy issues facing our state is a crucial enterprise that this bipartisan task force is taking very seriously,” Scott said. “On our energy listening tour, we are visiting regions across the state to hear from consumers about what they need to ensure they can depend on electricity, no matter what weather comes at us. We had a productive stop in Marquette — hearing from U.P. residents about their energy needs is an important piece of the state energy puzzle. Thank you to my colleague Rep. Hill for being such a wonderful host. I am looking forward to more stops on the tour and to hearing from more Michiganders, so we can make smart, informed decisions to deliver dependable energy solutions to Michigan.”

“I am always grateful for the opportunity to visit Michigan’s U.P. communities and hear from the residents there,” Tate said. “With increases in extreme weather events and the resulting power outages earlier this year, it is crucial we are proactive in creating comprehensive, statewide policies that protect consumers, promote affordable access to energy and ensure infrastructure dependability. All Michigan residents deserve to have energy they can depend on, which is why we are committed to bipartisan efforts to ensure our state has a strong infrastructural foundation — that includes an up-to-date electrical grid that is trustworthy and a system that supports renewable energy.”

Background:

The Energy Reliability, Resilience and Accountability Listening Tour, and corresponding bipartisan task force, was created to collect data, information, and resident and business owner experiences regarding the large-scale, prolonged power outages that occurred earlier this year after severe storms. These efforts aim to inform the creation of smart, responsive legislation.

Members of the Energy Reliability, Resilience and Accountability Task Force: 

  • State Rep. Helena Scott (Chair)
  • State Rep. Abraham Aiyash
  • State Rep. Joey Andrews
  • State Rep. John Fitzgerald
  • State Rep. Jenn Hill
  • State Rep. Cynthia Neeley
  • State Rep. Pat Outman
  • State Rep. Pauline Wenzel