By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Plans by Consumers Energy to shut down the coal-fired J.H. Campbell power plant in Port Sheldon Township at the end of this month have been put on hold for at least 90 days after an emergency order issued by the U.S. Department of Energy late last week.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright last Friday ordered that the 1,560-megawatt Campbell plant, which had been scheduled to shut down this Saturday, remain in operation through the summer months, a move he said was needed “to minimize any potential capacity shortfall that could lead to unnecessary power outages,” according to a department news release.
The plant closure would have been 15 years before the Campbell plant’s lifespan was scheduled to end, Wright said.
Wright that the emergency order was authorized under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act and is in accordance with an earlier executive order by President Trump declaring a national energy emergency, and that it would ensure the power generation availability in the Midwest region does not fall below 2024 capacity levels.
“(The) emergency order ensures that Michiganders and the greater Midwest region do not lose critical power generation capability as summer begins and electricity demand regularly reach high levels,” Wright said in a news release. “This administration will not sit back and allow dangerous energy subtraction policies threaten the resiliency of our grid and raise electricity prices on American families.”
The Michigan Public Service Commission in June 2022 approved a settlement agreement with Consumers where the company agreed to shut down the three units at the Campbell plant in 2025 as part of an overall corporate plan to move toward natural gas and renewable energy as sources of generating power.
Ottawa County commissioners on Feb. 25 approved a resolution calling for the MPSC to postpone the Campbell closure “until such time as a new hearing can be held before the MPSC to address these concerns and to provide assurances to the citizens of Ottawa County, the State of Michigan, and all members of the (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) grid that based on currently available energy sources, the closure of the Campbell plant will not have an adverse effect on the reliable delivery of electricity to our respective communities.”
The resolution passed on a 9-1 vote.
Consumers spokeswoman Katie Carey said the utility planned to comply with the 90-day pause ordered by the Energy Department.
“We are reviewing the executive action and the overall impact on our company,” Carey said in a prepared statement.
Environmental groups have expressed their displeasure with the order. Sierra Club senior attorney Greg Wannier called President Trump’s invoking of the Federal Power Act “an illegal abuse of his presidential authority.”
“Coal is expensive, outdated, and deadly, and all of the relevant parties, including MISO, the grid operator ultimately responsible for keeping the lights on in Michigan, concluded years ago that J.H. Campbell could retire without causing any grid reliability problems,” Wannier said.
Zeeland Record
Plans by Consumers Energy to shut down the coal-fired J.H. Campbell power plant in Port Sheldon Township at the end of this month have been put on hold for at least 90 days after an emergency order issued by the U.S. Department of Energy late last week.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright last Friday ordered that the 1,560-megawatt Campbell plant, which had been scheduled to shut down this Saturday, remain in operation through the summer months, a move he said was needed “to minimize any potential capacity shortfall that could lead to unnecessary power outages,” according to a department news release.
The plant closure would have been 15 years before the Campbell plant’s lifespan was scheduled to end, Wright said.
Wright that the emergency order was authorized under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act and is in accordance with an earlier executive order by President Trump declaring a national energy emergency, and that it would ensure the power generation availability in the Midwest region does not fall below 2024 capacity levels.
“(The) emergency order ensures that Michiganders and the greater Midwest region do not lose critical power generation capability as summer begins and electricity demand regularly reach high levels,” Wright said in a news release. “This administration will not sit back and allow dangerous energy subtraction policies threaten the resiliency of our grid and raise electricity prices on American families.”
The Michigan Public Service Commission in June 2022 approved a settlement agreement with Consumers where the company agreed to shut down the three units at the Campbell plant in 2025 as part of an overall corporate plan to move toward natural gas and renewable energy as sources of generating power.
Ottawa County commissioners on Feb. 25 approved a resolution calling for the MPSC to postpone the Campbell closure “until such time as a new hearing can be held before the MPSC to address these concerns and to provide assurances to the citizens of Ottawa County, the State of Michigan, and all members of the (Midcontinent Independent System Operator) grid that based on currently available energy sources, the closure of the Campbell plant will not have an adverse effect on the reliable delivery of electricity to our respective communities.”
The resolution passed on a 9-1 vote.
Consumers spokeswoman Katie Carey said the utility planned to comply with the 90-day pause ordered by the Energy Department.
“We are reviewing the executive action and the overall impact on our company,” Carey said in a prepared statement.
Environmental groups have expressed their displeasure with the order. Sierra Club senior attorney Greg Wannier called President Trump’s invoking of the Federal Power Act “an illegal abuse of his presidential authority.”
“Coal is expensive, outdated, and deadly, and all of the relevant parties, including MISO, the grid operator ultimately responsible for keeping the lights on in Michigan, concluded years ago that J.H. Campbell could retire without causing any grid reliability problems,” Wannier said.
Huizenga Votes Yes on ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ Protestors Worry About Medicaid Cuts
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Township, voted with the Republican majority in approving the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a single vote on May 22.
H.R. 1 passed by a vote of 215-214 and is now being considered in the United States Senate. It would boost spending for defense, border security and immigration enforcement while cutting spending for food assistance and Medicaid. It also would add $3.8 trillion to the federal debt, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.
Huizenga called the bill championed by President Trump “transformative legislation to deliver permanent tax relief for middle class families and small business job creators.”
“H.R. 1 prevents the largest tax increase in history while reducing taxes for Americans making $30,000 - $80,000 by 15 percent,” Huizenga said in a statement released by his office shortly after the vote. “Additionally, this measure provides relief for seniors while delivering on President Trump’s promise of no tax on tips as well as no tax on overtime which will help Michiganders keep more of their hard-earned money.”
Not everyone in Huizenga’s district was thrilled by his vote. About 75 people gathered outside of the congressman’s district office in downtown Holland last Friday to protest. Autumn Graves, a Holland Township woman who works part-time at Panera Bread restaurant, worries that she may lose her Medicaid coverage if the bill becomes law. Graves says she has medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and asthma that prevent her from working a full-time job.
“I (live) paycheck to paycheck,” Graves said. “I’m on Medicaid. I recently switched (my coverage) to Priority Health and they’re telling me I might have to pay more in copays … They told me to keep an eye out for any changes.”
Joan Bird, who taught in Zeeland Public Schools for 31 years, expressed similar concerns.
“It’s a big bill, but it’s not beautiful, because it takes from the poor and it gives to the rich,” Bird said. “How many people who are disabled, hurting people … how many people in nursing homes are going to suffer? I can’t believe the Republican lawmakers who voted for it don’t have relatives that it involves. They themselves might be wealthy but usually not all their relatives and friends and neighbors are wealthy.”
Huizenga defended his position on cuts to Medicaid in his statement.
“This legislation reestablishes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents,” he said in his statement. “It stops illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer funded assistance, cracks down on those enrolled in multiple state Medicaid programs, and strives to reduce the more than $500 billion in improper payments … (it) moves to protect and preserve Medicaid for those who need it the most by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of this vital program.”
Huizenga said that without H.R. 1 being signed into law, the average taxpayer across Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District will face a 25 percent tax increase, 70,420 families will have their per child tax credit cut in half, 41,850 small businesses will see their tax rate increase to 43.4 percent, and 95 percent of the 452,310 taxpayers in Southwest Michigan would see their standard deduction slashed in half.
Zeeland Record
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Holland Township, voted with the Republican majority in approving the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a single vote on May 22.
H.R. 1 passed by a vote of 215-214 and is now being considered in the United States Senate. It would boost spending for defense, border security and immigration enforcement while cutting spending for food assistance and Medicaid. It also would add $3.8 trillion to the federal debt, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office.
Huizenga called the bill championed by President Trump “transformative legislation to deliver permanent tax relief for middle class families and small business job creators.”
“H.R. 1 prevents the largest tax increase in history while reducing taxes for Americans making $30,000 - $80,000 by 15 percent,” Huizenga said in a statement released by his office shortly after the vote. “Additionally, this measure provides relief for seniors while delivering on President Trump’s promise of no tax on tips as well as no tax on overtime which will help Michiganders keep more of their hard-earned money.”
Not everyone in Huizenga’s district was thrilled by his vote. About 75 people gathered outside of the congressman’s district office in downtown Holland last Friday to protest. Autumn Graves, a Holland Township woman who works part-time at Panera Bread restaurant, worries that she may lose her Medicaid coverage if the bill becomes law. Graves says she has medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and asthma that prevent her from working a full-time job.
“I (live) paycheck to paycheck,” Graves said. “I’m on Medicaid. I recently switched (my coverage) to Priority Health and they’re telling me I might have to pay more in copays … They told me to keep an eye out for any changes.”
Joan Bird, who taught in Zeeland Public Schools for 31 years, expressed similar concerns.
“It’s a big bill, but it’s not beautiful, because it takes from the poor and it gives to the rich,” Bird said. “How many people who are disabled, hurting people … how many people in nursing homes are going to suffer? I can’t believe the Republican lawmakers who voted for it don’t have relatives that it involves. They themselves might be wealthy but usually not all their relatives and friends and neighbors are wealthy.”
Huizenga defended his position on cuts to Medicaid in his statement.
“This legislation reestablishes work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents,” he said in his statement. “It stops illegal immigrants from accessing taxpayer funded assistance, cracks down on those enrolled in multiple state Medicaid programs, and strives to reduce the more than $500 billion in improper payments … (it) moves to protect and preserve Medicaid for those who need it the most by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of this vital program.”
Huizenga said that without H.R. 1 being signed into law, the average taxpayer across Michigan’s Fourth Congressional District will face a 25 percent tax increase, 70,420 families will have their per child tax credit cut in half, 41,850 small businesses will see their tax rate increase to 43.4 percent, and 95 percent of the 452,310 taxpayers in Southwest Michigan would see their standard deduction slashed in half.
Lakeshore Advantage Receives MEDC Grant to Expand SURGE Center
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Lakeshore Advantage, the regional economic development organization that serves the Holland-Zeeland area, has received a $300,000 grant from a state program that provides support to organizations that engage with under-represented small businesses and/or technology-based entrepreneurs.
The grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Trusted Connected Grant program will enable Lakeshore Advantage to expand programming at its SURGE Center business incubator in downtown Holland “to engage a broader range of startups across industries and growth stages,” MEDC spokesman Otie McKinley said.
“Funding will be used to launch new programs including an Entrepreneur-in-Residence initiative, founder-led events, and programmatic collaborations with a local venture studio and entrepreneurial support organization,” McKinley said. “The organization is excited for these funds to yield tailored mentorship, community- building, and fundraising support to help more startups scale into primary employers of the future.”
Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens says her organization is grateful to MEDC for the funding support.
“This grant allows us to reach more startup founders across a broader range of industries and backgrounds, ensuring they receive the right support at the right time to grow their businesses,” Owens said. “These efforts strengthen our startup community and help position more of today’s entrepreneurs to become our region’s primary employers of tomorrow.”
Lakeshore Advantage is one of 23 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across the state to receive grant funding through the Trusted Connector Program. A total of $6.8 million in grants were awarded last week. The grants go to organizations that regularly convent and engage under-represented small businesses and/or tech-based entrepreneurs through technical assistance programming, networking events, mentorship and outreach.
“Ongoing support for targeted and thoughtful small business initiatives, such as the Trusted Grant Connector and the Entrepreneurship Support Grant, will contribute to a more diverse and thriving economy in Michigan,” said state Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing. “I am optimistic these investments will have lasting benefits on our communities in the years ahead, particularly in terms of economic opportunities for women and people of color, who have historically faced barriers in accessing these resources.”
The funding opportunity was highly competitive, with 44 eligible applications demonstrating $15 million in need across the state to increase awareness of resources available to entrepreneurs and to provide expert, culturally-competent technical assistance.
Zeeland Record
Lakeshore Advantage, the regional economic development organization that serves the Holland-Zeeland area, has received a $300,000 grant from a state program that provides support to organizations that engage with under-represented small businesses and/or technology-based entrepreneurs.
The grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Trusted Connected Grant program will enable Lakeshore Advantage to expand programming at its SURGE Center business incubator in downtown Holland “to engage a broader range of startups across industries and growth stages,” MEDC spokesman Otie McKinley said.
“Funding will be used to launch new programs including an Entrepreneur-in-Residence initiative, founder-led events, and programmatic collaborations with a local venture studio and entrepreneurial support organization,” McKinley said. “The organization is excited for these funds to yield tailored mentorship, community- building, and fundraising support to help more startups scale into primary employers of the future.”
Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens says her organization is grateful to MEDC for the funding support.
“This grant allows us to reach more startup founders across a broader range of industries and backgrounds, ensuring they receive the right support at the right time to grow their businesses,” Owens said. “These efforts strengthen our startup community and help position more of today’s entrepreneurs to become our region’s primary employers of tomorrow.”
Lakeshore Advantage is one of 23 chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across the state to receive grant funding through the Trusted Connector Program. A total of $6.8 million in grants were awarded last week. The grants go to organizations that regularly convent and engage under-represented small businesses and/or tech-based entrepreneurs through technical assistance programming, networking events, mentorship and outreach.
“Ongoing support for targeted and thoughtful small business initiatives, such as the Trusted Grant Connector and the Entrepreneurship Support Grant, will contribute to a more diverse and thriving economy in Michigan,” said state Senate Appropriations Chair Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing. “I am optimistic these investments will have lasting benefits on our communities in the years ahead, particularly in terms of economic opportunities for women and people of color, who have historically faced barriers in accessing these resources.”
The funding opportunity was highly competitive, with 44 eligible applications demonstrating $15 million in need across the state to increase awareness of resources available to entrepreneurs and to provide expert, culturally-competent technical assistance.
