I live less than 15 minutes from the Consumers plant in West Olive, MI- sooooo interesting to hear all of this! Thanks for your coverage, as always. The anecdotal vibe around here is definitely “How could they close it, we need that energy!” Which seems like the Trump messaging landing 🫠 But I didn’t know so much of what you shared, including the 80+ deaths related to pollution from that plant…the plant is right on Lake Michigan - a community beach is right there - and surrounded by wealthier homes because of that, so it’s a really odd/interesting situation as opposed to typical pollution-exposed neighborhoods.
As always, thank you, Beth. This whole thing is so stupid, and I wish the mainstream media was putting this out there as pointedly as you have. There are many policy issues where it is difficult/impossible to know what the right thing to do is. Your special education series highlighted one of those issues. But this is a case where we could easily change things for the better. Why are we so distracted by things like Trump changing the name of the Kennedy Center or building a ballroom when there is an issue like this that directly affects everyone in the country and would be easy to fix?? Well, another thing to contact my legislator about.
Such a good segment, thanks for sharing this. It’s infuriating how he can lauded as pro business while being so very anti-innovation, which is exactly what renewable energy markets have been!
Such a well researched and put togther episode. This is such a great one to make public as it isolates fairly understandable & easily experienced issue & shows how this administration just runs rough shot.
That's what is so wild. I understand that utility plants and pricing are kind of boring, but they affect everyone, and Beth was able to distill the situation down in an easily understandable way. Perhaps the utility and environmental groups that are against this should hire her.
My first thought was what if they just close it down anyway. (I don't know which one, any of them.) I didn't look into whether there was a fine or anything, but surely it would be less that the huge amount wasted by keeping it open.
That’s what I was thinking too - shut it down and then deal with whatever comes around. It seems like those costs would be less than the millions and billions. 🤷♀️
Last summer I read a book called Bloodletting in the Appalachias, about the most violent mining strikes. It was written by one of the state officials who had witnessed most of them. One thing he said was that by the time the mining companies and unions got on somewhat common ground other sources of energy had become more popular - for being less expensive, more efficient, and cleaner. Yet, at the end he waxed poetically about how the unions had killed the mining towns because they had become so selfish - like he hadn't just written an entire book explaining how bad coal was for everyone except the companies that owned the mines.
I was not expecting West Olive, MI (which is tiny) to show up in the first few minutes, but as a Michigander and Consumer's Energy customer, this just seems ridiculous!
I grew up in a coal town where the mine was eventually shut down due to fire. I went to K-8 in a coal town that had one of the worst mining disasters in history. I remember houses collapsing due to mine subsidance. I remember radio announcements telling miners whether they needed to report for the shifts - “Cat eye shift… CLOSED” - like school delays. My poppy was a train engineer and everyday backed the train up to all the mines where it was loaded and taken down to the river to be loaded on barges. I remember a barge that sat half sunk in the river spilling its load for as long as I can remember. It might still be there. My freshman dorm room window had a nice river of the river and also of the dirty coal plant that powered the school. All this to say that he is playing with people’s live and emotions. Coal will never and can never come back. And I do not understand my home state’s infatuation with it.
I live less than 15 minutes from the Consumers plant in West Olive, MI- sooooo interesting to hear all of this! Thanks for your coverage, as always. The anecdotal vibe around here is definitely “How could they close it, we need that energy!” Which seems like the Trump messaging landing 🫠 But I didn’t know so much of what you shared, including the 80+ deaths related to pollution from that plant…the plant is right on Lake Michigan - a community beach is right there - and surrounded by wealthier homes because of that, so it’s a really odd/interesting situation as opposed to typical pollution-exposed neighborhoods.
As always, thank you, Beth. This whole thing is so stupid, and I wish the mainstream media was putting this out there as pointedly as you have. There are many policy issues where it is difficult/impossible to know what the right thing to do is. Your special education series highlighted one of those issues. But this is a case where we could easily change things for the better. Why are we so distracted by things like Trump changing the name of the Kennedy Center or building a ballroom when there is an issue like this that directly affects everyone in the country and would be easy to fix?? Well, another thing to contact my legislator about.
I have zero nuance around this episode. The only thing I keep saying out loud to myself is “fucking idiots”.
Such a good segment, thanks for sharing this. It’s infuriating how he can lauded as pro business while being so very anti-innovation, which is exactly what renewable energy markets have been!
And higher utility costs for no clear benefits is very anti-business! Yes, so infuriating.
Most of the plants that stop burning coal can convert to using natural gas or distillate fuel oil, and already have.
This was masterful, Beth. 👏🏻
I applaud the episode and scream into the void. This administration continues to find new ways to infuriate us all. Ugh.
Such a well researched and put togther episode. This is such a great one to make public as it isolates fairly understandable & easily experienced issue & shows how this administration just runs rough shot.
I live minutes from West Olive, and like most people had no idea about any of this. Great work, Beth.
AND ALSO, this makes me so angry. 😖
That's what is so wild. I understand that utility plants and pricing are kind of boring, but they affect everyone, and Beth was able to distill the situation down in an easily understandable way. Perhaps the utility and environmental groups that are against this should hire her.
!!!!!! Infuriating
My first thought was what if they just close it down anyway. (I don't know which one, any of them.) I didn't look into whether there was a fine or anything, but surely it would be less that the huge amount wasted by keeping it open.
That’s what I was thinking too - shut it down and then deal with whatever comes around. It seems like those costs would be less than the millions and billions. 🤷♀️
Last summer I read a book called Bloodletting in the Appalachias, about the most violent mining strikes. It was written by one of the state officials who had witnessed most of them. One thing he said was that by the time the mining companies and unions got on somewhat common ground other sources of energy had become more popular - for being less expensive, more efficient, and cleaner. Yet, at the end he waxed poetically about how the unions had killed the mining towns because they had become so selfish - like he hadn't just written an entire book explaining how bad coal was for everyone except the companies that owned the mines.
I was not expecting West Olive, MI (which is tiny) to show up in the first few minutes, but as a Michigander and Consumer's Energy customer, this just seems ridiculous!
I live in Michigan and Consumers Energy is my provider. This makes me so upset! At least it sounds like Dana Nessel is on it.
“War of choice” is an excellent phrase and a frustrating and enraging reality.
I grew up in a coal town where the mine was eventually shut down due to fire. I went to K-8 in a coal town that had one of the worst mining disasters in history. I remember houses collapsing due to mine subsidance. I remember radio announcements telling miners whether they needed to report for the shifts - “Cat eye shift… CLOSED” - like school delays. My poppy was a train engineer and everyday backed the train up to all the mines where it was loaded and taken down to the river to be loaded on barges. I remember a barge that sat half sunk in the river spilling its load for as long as I can remember. It might still be there. My freshman dorm room window had a nice river of the river and also of the dirty coal plant that powered the school. All this to say that he is playing with people’s live and emotions. Coal will never and can never come back. And I do not understand my home state’s infatuation with it.
All I have to say is 😫
As a Michigander who is directly affected by this situation.