(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Kelly House
Bridge Michigan
A federal appeals court has thrown out a Trump administration order that kept the J.H. Campbell coal plant in West Olive open, but Consumers Energy officials say the plant will stay online for now.
That’s because the ruling last Friday applies only to the first of six emergency orders Energy Secretary Chris Wright has issued since May 2025 to keep the plant open for 90-day increments.
“Consumers Energy is reviewing today’s court ruling,” spokesperson Katie Carey said. “While that happens, we are continuing to comply with the current 90-day Department of Energy order.”
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its legal authority when it invoked emergency powers meant only for rare circumstances to keep the plant open.
Attorney General Dana Nessel, who along with Minnesota, Illinois and several environmental groups, sued the Trump administration for its actions at Campbell, said she was relieved the court “saw through this facade.”
“This ruling proves what we have been saying all along: this administration does not get to invent fake emergencies to bypass the rule of law against the best interests of Michigan residents,” Nessel said in a statement. “We remain committed to fighting these nonsensical orders and protecting our ratepayers.”
As the Trump administration launched a broad push to steer the nation away from clean energy and toward fossil fuels, Wright turned to a little-used Federal Power Act provision that lets the federal government seize authority over power supplies during emergencies.
Wright cited a desire to “minimize the risk of blackouts” during peak summer energy demand.
The move irked environmentalists and ratepayer advocates, who noted that long-range energy projections from state and regional regulators raised no concerns about power shortages.
Accusing the Trump administration of faking an emergency to justify its favoritism toward coal, Nessel filed a June 2025 lawsuit that led to Friday’s ruling.
In a written opinion for the three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard said emergency intervention should be a “a narrow, last-resort backstop,” and administration officials failed to justify its use.
“The mere possibility of an electricity supply shortfall — with no specifics about its potential severity, timing, location, or likelihood — does not warrant an emergency federal response,” Pillard wrote.
Allowing the federal government to override state judgment with such little evidence, Pillard wrote, “invites frequent federal interventions that are unsupported by the statute and threaten the stability of the energy market.”
In a statement Friday, Department of Energy spokesperson Emily Mathews said the emergency orders prevented blackouts and “likely saved hundreds of lives,” but provided no evidence to support those claims.
“Rest assured, the Department of Energy will continue to protect and defend energy security for all Americans,” Matthews said.
The Campbell plant was originally scheduled to close in May 2025, a decision that had been in the works for years and involved Consumers purchasing a natural gas plant to offset the lost power.
Coal is among the dirtiest and most expensive power sources available, and the switch was expected to save customers $600 million. Instead, keeping Campbell open had cost $259 million as of August.
Michigan requires utilities to demonstrate that they have sufficient generating capacity to meet customers’ needs for the next four years and file long-term plans that look 20 years into the future. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which manages the grid in Michigan and neighboring states, also conducts annual exercises to forecast power needs.
Neither have raised concerns about imminent energy shortages. Longer-term, some analysts are concerned about rising energy demand from energy-hungry data centers.
Campbell is one of several coal plants being kept open past their planned retirement dates as the Trump administration looks to forestall clean energy development and prolong the use of fossil fuels.
That conflicts with Michigan’s state energy strategy, which requires utilities to achieve 100% “clean” energy by 2040. Experts have told Bridge Michigan that utilities will struggle to comply if the federal government continues forcing them to burn coal.
Leading global scientists warn that greenhouse gas emissions from coal and other fossil fuels are dangerously warming the Earth’s atmosphere. Disappearing winters, deadly heatwaves and intense wildfires are just a few of the symptoms.
Environmentalists celebrated last Friday’s ruling, calling it a win for ratepayers and the climate.
“The Department of Energy’s unlawful actions attempted to make families and businesses in the Midwest wastefully pay hundreds of millions of dollars for a coal plant that should have been shut down over a year ago,” said Ted Kelly, director and lead counsel for U.S. Clean Energy at Environmental Defense Fund.
“That’s why these aging coal plants are scheduled to retire in the first place — they are incredibly expensive, dangerous to our health and break down frequently.”
By Kelly House
Bridge Michigan
A federal appeals court has thrown out a Trump administration order that kept the J.H. Campbell coal plant in West Olive open, but Consumers Energy officials say the plant will stay online for now.
That’s because the ruling last Friday applies only to the first of six emergency orders Energy Secretary Chris Wright has issued since May 2025 to keep the plant open for 90-day increments.
“Consumers Energy is reviewing today’s court ruling,” spokesperson Katie Carey said. “While that happens, we are continuing to comply with the current 90-day Department of Energy order.”
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Trump administration had overstepped its legal authority when it invoked emergency powers meant only for rare circumstances to keep the plant open.
Attorney General Dana Nessel, who along with Minnesota, Illinois and several environmental groups, sued the Trump administration for its actions at Campbell, said she was relieved the court “saw through this facade.”
“This ruling proves what we have been saying all along: this administration does not get to invent fake emergencies to bypass the rule of law against the best interests of Michigan residents,” Nessel said in a statement. “We remain committed to fighting these nonsensical orders and protecting our ratepayers.”
As the Trump administration launched a broad push to steer the nation away from clean energy and toward fossil fuels, Wright turned to a little-used Federal Power Act provision that lets the federal government seize authority over power supplies during emergencies.
Wright cited a desire to “minimize the risk of blackouts” during peak summer energy demand.
The move irked environmentalists and ratepayer advocates, who noted that long-range energy projections from state and regional regulators raised no concerns about power shortages.
Accusing the Trump administration of faking an emergency to justify its favoritism toward coal, Nessel filed a June 2025 lawsuit that led to Friday’s ruling.
In a written opinion for the three-judge panel, Circuit Judge Cornelia Pillard said emergency intervention should be a “a narrow, last-resort backstop,” and administration officials failed to justify its use.
“The mere possibility of an electricity supply shortfall — with no specifics about its potential severity, timing, location, or likelihood — does not warrant an emergency federal response,” Pillard wrote.
Allowing the federal government to override state judgment with such little evidence, Pillard wrote, “invites frequent federal interventions that are unsupported by the statute and threaten the stability of the energy market.”
In a statement Friday, Department of Energy spokesperson Emily Mathews said the emergency orders prevented blackouts and “likely saved hundreds of lives,” but provided no evidence to support those claims.
“Rest assured, the Department of Energy will continue to protect and defend energy security for all Americans,” Matthews said.
The Campbell plant was originally scheduled to close in May 2025, a decision that had been in the works for years and involved Consumers purchasing a natural gas plant to offset the lost power.
Coal is among the dirtiest and most expensive power sources available, and the switch was expected to save customers $600 million. Instead, keeping Campbell open had cost $259 million as of August.
Michigan requires utilities to demonstrate that they have sufficient generating capacity to meet customers’ needs for the next four years and file long-term plans that look 20 years into the future. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which manages the grid in Michigan and neighboring states, also conducts annual exercises to forecast power needs.
Neither have raised concerns about imminent energy shortages. Longer-term, some analysts are concerned about rising energy demand from energy-hungry data centers.
Campbell is one of several coal plants being kept open past their planned retirement dates as the Trump administration looks to forestall clean energy development and prolong the use of fossil fuels.
That conflicts with Michigan’s state energy strategy, which requires utilities to achieve 100% “clean” energy by 2040. Experts have told Bridge Michigan that utilities will struggle to comply if the federal government continues forcing them to burn coal.
Leading global scientists warn that greenhouse gas emissions from coal and other fossil fuels are dangerously warming the Earth’s atmosphere. Disappearing winters, deadly heatwaves and intense wildfires are just a few of the symptoms.
Environmentalists celebrated last Friday’s ruling, calling it a win for ratepayers and the climate.
“The Department of Energy’s unlawful actions attempted to make families and businesses in the Midwest wastefully pay hundreds of millions of dollars for a coal plant that should have been shut down over a year ago,” said Ted Kelly, director and lead counsel for U.S. Clean Energy at Environmental Defense Fund.
“That’s why these aging coal plants are scheduled to retire in the first place — they are incredibly expensive, dangerous to our health and break down frequently.”
West Nile Virus Found in Ottawa County Resident
The Ottawa County Department of Public Health (OCDPH) is reporting its first human case of West Nile virus this year.
The Health Department reported the case last Friday. The individual was hospitalized. At press time, no deaths have been reported from West Nile virus. The person has no recent travel history and likely became infected from a mosquito bite in West Michigan.
“Most people who get West Nile virus never know they had it, but it can make some people very sick,” County Medical Director Dr. Gwen Unzicker said. “The good news is that a few simple habits go a long way. Even though we're heading into fall, it's important to continue to use repellent, cover up at dawn and dusk, and dump out any standing water around your home. This case is a reminder that the mosquitoes carrying this virus are active right here, so it is worth taking those steps now.”
West Nile virus spreads to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes pick it up from infected birds and pass it on when they bite.
Most people who are infected have no symptoms. About one in five develops a fever along with some mix of headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash.
A small number of people get seriously ill when the virus affects the brain or spinal cord. Warning signs include a high fever, a stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, or seizures. These need medical care right away.
There is no vaccine for West Nile virus and no medicine that treats it directly. Most people get better on their own with rest and fluids. If you have a fever with a bad headache, a stiff neck, or confusion, see a health care provider.
For more information, visit miottawa.org/outdoorhealth or michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/home/west-nile.
The Health Department reported the case last Friday. The individual was hospitalized. At press time, no deaths have been reported from West Nile virus. The person has no recent travel history and likely became infected from a mosquito bite in West Michigan.
“Most people who get West Nile virus never know they had it, but it can make some people very sick,” County Medical Director Dr. Gwen Unzicker said. “The good news is that a few simple habits go a long way. Even though we're heading into fall, it's important to continue to use repellent, cover up at dawn and dusk, and dump out any standing water around your home. This case is a reminder that the mosquitoes carrying this virus are active right here, so it is worth taking those steps now.”
West Nile virus spreads to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes pick it up from infected birds and pass it on when they bite.
Most people who are infected have no symptoms. About one in five develops a fever along with some mix of headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash.
A small number of people get seriously ill when the virus affects the brain or spinal cord. Warning signs include a high fever, a stiff neck, confusion, muscle weakness, or seizures. These need medical care right away.
There is no vaccine for West Nile virus and no medicine that treats it directly. Most people get better on their own with rest and fluids. If you have a fever with a bad headache, a stiff neck, or confusion, see a health care provider.
For more information, visit miottawa.org/outdoorhealth or michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/home/west-nile.
Second Church Recital Series Begins Sunday
The Second Church Recital Series at Second Reformed Church begins a new season this Sunday with an organ performance by Peter Kurdziel.
The performance begins at 4 p.m. Admission to this and all concerts in the Recital Series are free.
Kurdziel is director of music and parish administrator at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Grand Haven. He joined the staff of St. John’s in July of last year after 15 years as director of music at the Basilica of St. Adalbert in Grand Rapids.
Kurdziel earned degrees in organ from Hope College and the University of Notre Dame. He earned his Doctor of Music Arts degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
In addition to the organ, Kurdziel has also studied voice, conducting, harpsicord and theology at the graduate level. He is the past dean of the Grand Rapids and Muskegon-Lakeshore chapters of the American Guild of Organists. He has also served on the executive boards of the Grand Rapids chapter of the National Pastoral Musicians, the West Michigan Symphony and the Art and Architecture Committee of the Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Upcoming performances in the Second Church Recital Series for the 2026-27 season include:
• Oct. 11: Caitlin Kramer, oboe
• Nov. 8: Gary LaCroix, jazz piano
• Nov. 29: Advent hymn sing, featuring SRC musicians
• Jan. 17: Alan Chiang, Bach piano
• Feb. 7: Mercedes Trio
• March 7: West African Drumming & Grand Rapids Youth Chorus
• April 18: In Bloom: A Celebration of the Arts
• May 2: Gold ‘N Trumpets
All performances will take place at 4 p.m.
The Second Church Recital Series offers free performances monthly during the program year, with each followed by a reception in the Gathering Place of the church. This serves as an opportunity to meet the artist and enjoy a social time with light refreshments provided.
For more information on the series, visit secondreformedchurch.org/recital-series.
The performance begins at 4 p.m. Admission to this and all concerts in the Recital Series are free.
Kurdziel is director of music and parish administrator at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Grand Haven. He joined the staff of St. John’s in July of last year after 15 years as director of music at the Basilica of St. Adalbert in Grand Rapids.
Kurdziel earned degrees in organ from Hope College and the University of Notre Dame. He earned his Doctor of Music Arts degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
In addition to the organ, Kurdziel has also studied voice, conducting, harpsicord and theology at the graduate level. He is the past dean of the Grand Rapids and Muskegon-Lakeshore chapters of the American Guild of Organists. He has also served on the executive boards of the Grand Rapids chapter of the National Pastoral Musicians, the West Michigan Symphony and the Art and Architecture Committee of the Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Upcoming performances in the Second Church Recital Series for the 2026-27 season include:
• Oct. 11: Caitlin Kramer, oboe
• Nov. 8: Gary LaCroix, jazz piano
• Nov. 29: Advent hymn sing, featuring SRC musicians
• Jan. 17: Alan Chiang, Bach piano
• Feb. 7: Mercedes Trio
• March 7: West African Drumming & Grand Rapids Youth Chorus
• April 18: In Bloom: A Celebration of the Arts
• May 2: Gold ‘N Trumpets
All performances will take place at 4 p.m.
The Second Church Recital Series offers free performances monthly during the program year, with each followed by a reception in the Gathering Place of the church. This serves as an opportunity to meet the artist and enjoy a social time with light refreshments provided.
For more information on the series, visit secondreformedchurch.org/recital-series.
Bert Accepted to Honors College
Cameron Bert of Zeeland has been accepted into the Honors College at the College of Charleston (S.C.) this fall.
Bert joins an inspired learning community within the Honors College. Honors students enjoy priority first-year housing in the Honors Living-Learning Center, priority class registration, exclusive Honors courses and programs, and access to community events and Honors activities.
Bert, a graduate of Zeeland West High School, is majoring in international business.
The Honors College at the College of Charleston is regularly ranked among the top Honors programs in the nation.
Bert joins an inspired learning community within the Honors College. Honors students enjoy priority first-year housing in the Honors Living-Learning Center, priority class registration, exclusive Honors courses and programs, and access to community events and Honors activities.
Bert, a graduate of Zeeland West High School, is majoring in international business.
The Honors College at the College of Charleston is regularly ranked among the top Honors programs in the nation.
