MPSC tackles next steps in customer protections

by Becky Andrus | Jul 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2020

Media Contact: Matt Helms 517-284-8300
Customer Assistance: 800-292-9555
Michigan.gov/MPSC
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Continuing its efforts to ensure appropriate assistance is available for Michigan’s energy and telecommunications customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Public Service Commission today reiterated the support available to help customers in need with bill payment assistance and flexibility payment terms and called on its staff, regulated energy companies and stakeholders to continue customer outreach, data collection, and program enhancements to provide adequate safeguards as Michigan’s economy cautiously reopens.

The Commission’s order today (Case No. U-20757) directs MPSC staff to continue to collaborate with energy and telecommunications providers as well as stakeholders on customer protection and affordability measures going forward as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer weighs how to reduce the spread of the virus. Staff reports are due later this year on the progress of these discussions and a framework for evaluating affordable payment plans. In addition, the Commission directs energy utilities to file reports on efforts to better align energy waste reduction programs with other assistance for low- and moderate-income households, with a Staff report to follow in February.

“There’s still a lot of uncertainty and economic challenges for Michiganders and the state’s businesses while we work through the impacts of the coronavirus,” MPSC Chairman Sally Talberg said. “The Commission remains committed to ensuring adequate protections and assistance are available for struggling families during these difficult times.”

Based on the Commission’s work with utilities amid the pandemic, 1,657 households that were shut off due to non-payment have had service restored as of July 9, and 1,899 households that were shutoff due to reasons other than non-payment also have been reconnected. With assistance programs, flexible payment plans and other help made available during the pandemic, most of Michigan’s investor-owned utilities, including the state’s two largest, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, were reporting declines in the number of customers who are behind on their utility bills.

The order directs regulated energy utilities to file reports with the MPSC detailing data on disconnected service to occupied and unoccupied residences in their territories, with data on unpaid utility bills, and to update these reports monthly in this docket until directed otherwise. The Commission also directed Staff to devise a revised template for utilities to report data going forward.

In addition, the Commission rejected utilities’ recommendations to define, track, or defer COVID-19 related expenses beyond the deferral of uncollectible expenses, or bad debt, at this time. Utilities seeking to pursue recovery or accounting treatment for additional expenses must include specific information to be filed by November 2, 2020, to be considered by the Commission. The Commission indicated it would not consider incremental costs in isolation of potential savings by utilities through reduced labor expenses, travel, and lower fuel and operational costs.

Today’s order updates the MPSC’s ongoing efforts to address the impacts of the COVID crisis. The Commission has worked with energy providers and state and federal agencies to help coordinate and provide assistance to vulnerable customers across the state.

The MPSC urges customers facing COVID-related financial troubles to contact their utility right away to find out about available help options or call 211 or go to mi211.org for help. Utilities are promoting flexible payment plans and helping customers in financial difficulties find assistance available to low-income households. Assistance programs will vary by company.

Federal relief funding significantly boosted the available financial assistance for struggling utility customers in Michigan. The state received $162 million in Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds this fiscal year and was awarded an additional $35.1 million through the CARES Act federal pandemic stimulus. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shepherded $17.3 million in CARES Act LIHEAP funding to make direct payments on behalf of more than 40,000 Michigan households that owed past-due amounts to DTE Energy, Consumers Energy and SEMCO Energy. In addition, these three utilities forgave another 25% of past-due amounts on top of the CARES Act funding for these customers’ arrearages, amounting to more than $4.3 million. LIHEAP funding is still available for qualified customers needing assistance with their utility bills or propane costs.

That funding is in addition to the annual Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, which raises up to $50 million a year for the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) through a surcharge on customer bills; the surcharge was set at 92 cents a month last year, and MEAP assisted more than 61,000 households in 2019.  In a separate case approved today, the monthly surcharge has been reduced to 91 cents, with the expectation that this level will continue to fully fund the $50 million for MEAP for 2020-21.

To look up cases from today’s meeting, access the E-Dockets filing system here.

To watch recordings of the MPSC’s meetings, click here.

For information about the MPSC, visit www.Michigan.gov/MPSC, sign up for one of its listservs, or follow the Commission on Twitter.

DISCLAIMER: This document was prepared to aid the public’s understanding of certain matters before the Commission and is not intended to modify, supplement, or be a substitute for the Commission’s orders. The Commission’s orders are the official action of the Commission.

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Michigan wolf surveys show stable, healthy population

by Becky Andrus | Jul 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

Recent winter survey results point to a minimum estimated Upper Peninsula population of nearly 700 wolves.

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– DNR News –

July 27, 2020
Media contact: Cody Norton, 906-202-3023

Michigan wolf surveys show stable, healthy population

Recent winter survey results point to a minimum estimated Upper Peninsula population of nearly 700 wolves

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said today that the state’s wolf population has remained relatively stable over the past nine years, with the most recent survey completed this past winter. DNR Wildlife Division staff who participated in this latest survey estimate there was a minimum of 695 wolves found among 143 packs across the Upper Peninsula. Pack size has remained stable and averages just under five wolves.

Dan Kennedy, acting chief of the Wildlife Division, said the DNR has surveyed wolves since 1989 when they began naturally recolonizing the U.P.

“The survey is important because it helps us monitor wolf distribution and abundance, answer research questions and evaluate progress toward state and federal recovery goals,” Kennedy said. “Our survey results continue to demonstrate that Michigan’s wolf population has recovered.”

The survey was conducted from December through March, before wolves had produced pups, when the population is at its lowest point in the annual cycle.

“Once survey units have been identified for a given year, surveyors drive roads and trails in trucks and on snowmobiles looking for wolf tracks,” said Dean Beyer, a DNR wildlife research biologist who organizes the sampling and generates the wolf population estimate for the biennial survey. “Once they find wolf tracks, surveyors follow the tracks as long as is practical to determine the number of individual wolves that made the tracks.”

The wolf survey is completed by DNR Wildlife Division and U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services staff who search specific survey areas for wolf tracks and other signs of wolf activity, such as territorial marking or indications of breeding.

“Surveyors try to locate adjacent packs on the same day, to ensure they are not double-counting the same wolves,” said Beyer. State and federal wildlife staff also trap wolves in the spring and outfit them with GPS collars to help determine pack boundaries. This helps determine which tracks belong to each pack during the winter survey.

In 2019-2020, approximately 62% of the Upper Peninsula was surveyed.

After wolves returned naturally to the U.P. through immigration from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario in the 1980s, the population rebounded remarkably over time. The pronounced long-term increase in wolf abundance is evident, despite human cause-specific mortality, such as poaching and vehicle collisions.

Over the past decade, Michigan’s minimum estimate has hovered between 600 and 700 wolves, which is indicative of a stabilizing population.

“Given the relatively consistent abundance estimates since 2011, it appears the wolf population has likely reached the carrying capacity of the Upper Peninsula,” said Cody Norton, a wildlife management specialist with the DNR’s bear, wolf and cougar program in Marquette.

Since the winter of 1993-94, combined wolf numbers in Michigan and Wisconsin have surpassed 100 wolves, meeting one of the federally established goals for delisting wolves in the Great Lakes states. In 2004, Michigan achieved its recovery goal of a minimum sustainable population of 200 wolves for five consecutive years, and wolves were removed from the state list of threatened and endangered species in 2009.

Wolves in Michigan remain a federally protected species and may be killed legally only in defense of human life.

More information about Michigan’s wolf population can be found at Michigan.gov/Wolves.

/Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows./

Trail cam: A DNR trail camera image, taken in August 2019, of a gray wolf in the Upper Peninsula.

Bedded wolves: Two gray wolves bedded down in the snow. Taken during a previous winter’s aerial wolf survey.

DNR COVID-19 RESPONSE: For details on affected DNR facilities and services, visit this webpage. Follow state actions and guidelines at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

Whitmer Extends Orders on Youth Work Permits

by Becky Andrus | Jul 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 27, 2020

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Extends Executive Orders on Youth Work Permits and Electronic Notarizations

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Whitmer today signed Executive Order 2020-157, lifting a paperwork requirement for youth work permits that would require additional in-person interactions, and Executive Order 2020-158, which allows for business to be conducted remotely by allowing for expanded use of e-notaries and e-signatures.

“We know that the coronavirus spreads easily when people are in close contact with each other, which is why it’s important that we take measures to limit in-person contact,” Governor Whitmer said. “These executive orders will protect more people during this ongoing public health crisis by reducing unnecessary interactions, while providing a pathway for people to conduct business as usual.”

Under Executive Order 2020-157, work permits required by the Youth Employment Standards Act can be mailed, emailed, faxed or sent via the web rather than filled-out on special colored paper, as required by statute. This order takes effect immediately and continues through August 31, 2020.

Under Executive Order 2020-158, requirements for in-person notarizations are temporarily suspended and transactions that require a notary to be completed via two-way, real-time audiovisual technology are allowed. The order also permits the use of electronic signatures in all cases, except in rare circumstances when a physical signature is specifically required by statute. The order takes effect immediately and extends the validity of notary commissions through August 31, 2020.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

To view the latest executive orders, click the link below:

My View-Point

by Becky Andrus | Jul 27, 2020 | Uncategorized

My View-Point

When looking at the recent landscape of high school sports in general. Everything changed in March in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

I know people are looking to blame others particularly those who didn’t get a chance to compete for State Championships in their senior season of high school.

I do wonder that if the spring season would had been played had we had a better understanding. There were are several sports that could had been done with social distancing such as baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and track and field. Soccer could have been played as well despite the physical contact but not to the extent. The only sport that would have been concerning was lacrosse because of the physical contact.

I know there are people who need to take blame for the Class of 2020 for having their spring seasons taken away but to their defense we didn’t know much about this disease at that time but we know a lot more about it now.

There will be those who blame Governor Gretchen Whitmer and I don’t blame those who blame her. It was Whitmer who closed the schools and eventually the State shutdown in March based on “Executive Order” basically saying that we can’t have students in the schools and that it would be very difficult to have extra circular activities continue.

Whitmer revealed her “Return to School Plan” in late June naming specific guidelines to return to school. She said that if the State is in Phases four, five, and six then schools could open up for in person instruction which includes athletics. If Whitmer returns the State back to Phase three then the schools would have online learning which nobody wants.

Online learning has its disadvantages and especially from a mental standpoint. This is where it gets murky. Some students don’t have access to the internet and the need to interact is not there. Also there is no certain timetable if students aren’t able to get their work done on time. Students also struggle mentally especially not seeing their friends and they need that interaction. Teachers also have a hard time as well not seeing their students every day. It also causes a strain on parents especially those who have to work for a living.

Whitmer has mentioned that she will send students and teachers to school when it is safe to do so.

In Whitmer’s plan there are several conferences that are in different regions of her plan which poses problems. The NFHS guidelines state that they want schools to play close and to limit travel. It doesn’t affect the OAA too much (all schools in Oakland County) or the Macomb Area Conference with all their schools in one region in four counties (Oakland, Macomb Wayne, and St. Clair) but conferences like the Saginaw Valley League in which their schools are in three regions with four counties (Isabella County which has Mount Pleasant is in Grand Rapids region while Genesee and Lapeer counties are in the Detroit region and the rest of the schools are in the Saginaw region.) The Greater Thumb Conference has two teams that aren’t in the Saginaw region in Memphis and Yale. The Flint Metro League has one school that’s in a different region in Corunna that’s in Shiawassee County which is in the Lansing region and the Ottawa Kent Conference in which their schools are in three different regions with the majority of the west side counties. Every school district and most leagues will have problems with Whitmer’s regional plan. Her regional plan could force leagues to break up or force schools to create new leagues based off travel.

This virus has taken so much away from our daily lives. Student development can’t be done online. There has to have a form of inclusion. People meeting people, it can be done safely.

Maybe it’s time to trust each other a little bit more.