To the Journal editor:

This is in regard to Michigan House Bills 4007 and 4283, natural gas, RICE generators and Marquette City Commission support for them.

Up until 2019, the Marquette city residents relied primarily on coal for generation of electricity, with a bit of hydropower. While coal was in use, in spite of meeting EPA requirements, at times I could still observe faint emission streams floating over Lake Superior. Thankfully that is all behind us now.

In consideration of the environment, fuel type and cost for power generation, dependability, longevity and other factors, the city wisely replaced coal with 3 natural gas burning generators capable of using diesel fuel as back-up. Both coal burning plants have since been removed and I no longer see faint emission streams over the lake.

Coal burning could be considered a “multi-generational injustice.” The coal burning fly ash landfill will continue to be a “multigenerational injustice” since this facility takes up space and will continue to be maintained indefinitely.

Calling natural gas “clean energy” is not entirely true, but it burns much cleaner than coal. Being “locked” into using natural gas as a main fuel for power production for several future generations certainly is not an injustice to city residents. Natural gas is a good step away from coal on the road to its eventual replacement or augmentation by renewable energy sources. Residents who are against natural gas can certainly install solar panels, perhaps wind generators, and reduce their use of electricity as needed in order to sever themselves from city-provided power. Perhaps they may even generate excess power which can be sold to MBLP.

Natural gas is used by residents for home appliances and will be used regardless of what fuel source the city (MBLP) uses. Recently it was reported that emissions from gas stoves and ovens, particularly in air-tight homes, can have adverse health effects. If this is the case, then they can be replaced with an electric stove/oven. No one is being forced to have a gas stove. Many residents use natural gas-fueled furnaces. Burned gasses are exhausted outside the home. Don’t hang out at the exhaust pipe.

Harnessing renewable wind and solar energy for human use are also not 100% clean. It might appear to be “clean” at the point of its installation and point of power usage. However, minerals must be mined, processed, transported to manufacturing, manufactured into the necessary components, transported to the construction site and installed. Every step of this process requires energy and can have environmental and human health consequences.

A large solar farm capable of powering 35-40,000 homes is being planned for Sands Township on CCI property southwest of the “Crossroads”. This may be a viable next step beyond total reliance on natural gas. I wonder who is financially benefiting from this solar boosterism. Michigan EGLE recently awarded $748,500 to Sands Township for its support of the solar farm. What effect will this solar farm have on the Sands Plains jack pine wildlife habitat? How well will solar panels work in our U.P. winters? How would they have fared through the recent days of freezing rain, wet snow, blizzards and power outages? Perhaps a review of MBLP’s solar garden energy production during the winter will be useful information in this endeavor. Given potential solar energy production reductions during winter and cloudy days, how expensive will its energy be compared to natural gas?

Marquette has several undeveloped properties currently used primarily for outdoor recreation. The high rocky hills are probably ideal for wind turbines. Lake Superior might also be a good place for offshore wind power generation. Perhaps Marquette will include this option in its long-term energy plan. I look forward to seeing wind turbines on Presque Isle Park, Mt. Mesnard and several other highly visible locations and knowing that city residents will no longer be breathing in “poisonous” natural gas fumes.

As a customer of MBLP, I applaud the city’s decision to switch from coal to natural gas and stick with this until the 3 RICE generators become obsolete.