According to a press release issued by Citizens for Oil-Free Backyards, earlier this week the Supervisor of Wells, Harold R. Fitch, issued an instruction concerning the regulation of oil and gas drilling in high population density areas. The instruction, aptly named Oil and Gas Development in High Population Density Areas, is an important legislative step… Read more »
This week, the Detroit Free Press published an interesting article detailing some of the conflict related to the drilling that happened in Shelby and Scio Townships this past summer. Jim Olson, FLOW’s President and Founder, was interviewed for the article and in it talks about the rights and abilities of local governments in relation to oil… Read more »
By Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press February 5, 2015 (Photo: Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press) Jamie Calaguas mostly remembers the noise. The grinding, whining, constant hum of industrial activity — but not from a factory. The clamor was coming from the 109-foot oil well West Bay Exploration was drilling outside her back door. In a residential… Read more »
6 Counties Cut from Proposed ET Rover Pipeline Route By Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press February 2, 2015 (Photo: Energy Transfer) A large natural-gas transmission pipeline proposed for construction through southeast Michigan will now impact far fewer counties. A deal with an existing pipeline operator means the ET Rover pipeline will no longer be built… Read more »
A great article calling for full transparency from Enbridge and the State in relation to the Line 5 oil pipelines, written by Sarah Koehn (a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, and the policy intern at West Michigan Environmental Action Council), was recently published in the Grand Haven Tribune. She concludes: “The people of Michigan… Read more »
A great article written by Christine Green, a trustee of Scio Township, was published this week in Bridge Magazine. She calls for the restoration of townships’ zoning authority, and points out that, “Cities and villages, no matter what their size, may exercise full zoning power over drilling, but townships of any size cannot. What’s the rationale?… Read more »
BRIDGE News and analysis from The Center for Michigan Detroit water shutoffs must end 2 December 2014 by Jim Olson Detroit’s emergency manager filed for bankruptcy in July 2013 to force creditors to negotiate a bankruptcy plan that would slash the city’s unwieldy debt. Last month, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit approved a plan… Read more »
By Paul Gingras of the St. Ignace News Oct. 9, 2014 www.stignacenews.com/news/2014-10-09/Front_Page/State_Urged_to_Get_Involved_at_Line_5.html Citizens called on Governor Rick Snyder Monday, October 6, to exert state authority to prevent a potentially catastrophic oil spill from Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 petroleum pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Increased conveyance of petroleum products and the potential for heavier forms… Read more »
FLOW”s Executive Director, Liz Kirkwood, kicked off a widely publicized press event at the State Capitol in Lansing this morning, calling on Governor Snyder and state leaders to take immediate action on the Enbridge pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. Kirkwood urged the Governor to demand that that Canadian company apply for the required authorization … Read more »
The Northern Express – This Week’s Top 5 GROUPS: LET’S PREVENT AN OIL SPILL; NOT HAVE TO CLEAN ONE UP Environmental groups want Gov. Rick Snyder to take action after the US Coast Guard announced they would be unprepared to respond to a potentially catastrophic oil spill at the Straits of Mackinac. The area between… Read more »
