HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 219

Reps. Mentzer, Brixie, Miller, Price, Wooden, Young, Tsernoglou, Longjohn, Rogers, Snyder, Paiz, Andrews, T. Carter, Pohutsky, Witwer, Koleszar, Breen, Rheingans, Foreman, Xiong, Coffia, Byrnes, Morgan, Glanville, Arbit, Fitzgerald, Scott, Martus, Liberati, Dievendorf, Steckloff, Weiss, Wegela, McKinney, O'Neal, MacDonell and Hoskins offered the following resolution:

A resolution urging the federal government to not extend the emergency order preventing the planned closure of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant.

Whereas, On March 11, 2022, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) approved the suspension of three generating units at the J.H. Campbell Power Plant in West Olive, Michigan. These suspensions were to occur by June 1, 2025, with permanent cessation of coal combustion occurring by December 31, 2028. In granting approval, MISO projected that there would be a sufficient energy supply to meet consumer demand without the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant; and

Whereas, Despite MISO?s findings and approvals, on May 23, 2025, the United States Department of Energy issued an emergency order (Order No. 202-25-3) directing MISO to continue operation of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant until August 21, 2025. The order was issued to combat an alleged energy emergency; and

Whereas, On August 21, 2025, the United States Department Energy issued another order (Order No. 202-25-7) to extend the effect of Order No. 202-25-3 until November 19, 2025. The new order alleges that the emergency conditions that led to the issuance of Order No. 202-25-3 are continuing; and

Whereas, Order 202-25-3 and Order 202-25-7 conflict with Consumers Energy?s decision to stop using coal as a fuel source for electricity by 2025; and

Whereas, Not only do the Department of Energy?s orders conflict with and infringe upon the decision to stop using coal as a fuel source for electricity by 2025, they are also having a financial impact. Continued operation of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant cost Consumers Energy and its ratepayers 29 million dollars in the first 38 days of continued operation alone. The decommissioning of the plant was estimated to save ratepayers 600 million dollars by the year 2040; and

Whereas, In addition to the financial consequences, the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant presents both health and environmental concerns. The plant releases millions of pounds of air pollutants annually, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter. Nearly 9 million tons of climate-harming carbon dioxide are also released annually. The air pollution generated by coal plants has been linked to several negative health impacts such as asthma, cancer, heart conditions, and lung conditions. The J.H. Campbell Power Plant has been estimated to cause between 389 and 879 million dollars in health impacts annually; and

Whereas, The J.H. Campbell Power Plant has also been estimated to release roughly 100,000 pounds of water-polluting substances annually, including 10,000 pounds of toxic metals such as arsenic. A monitoring well near the plant measured arsenic levels 5.7 times the federal limit for drinking in 2017; and

Whereas, Legal challenges have been brought against the Department of Energy?s order, arguing that it is illegal and arbitrary. However, while these legal challenges make their way through the judicial system, the federal government should refrain from extending Order No. 202-25-3 once again to best serve the hardworking people directly impacted by the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the federal government to not extend the emergency order which prevented the planned closure of the J.H. Campbell Power Plant; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of Energy and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.