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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Consumers Energy puts new coal plant on hold

By Eartha Jane Melzer | 05.27.10 | 11:33 am

Consumers Energy, the main subsidiary of CMS Energy, announced this morning that it is delaying plans to build an 830 megawatt coal-fired power plant near Bay City due to market conditions.

In a statement the company said that the plant, which was expected to go online in 2017, will be deferred indefinitely because of “reduced customer demand for electricity due to the recession, forecasted lower natural gas prices due to recent developments in shale gas recovery technology, and projected surplus generating capacity in the Midwest market.”

Company CEO John Russell said that the Consumers has not ruled out future coal power developments but that it expects to use the $1 billion it had slated for the new coal unit for other investments.

“We have a number of alternative investment options, including additional environmental controls on some of our existing coal-fired units, that will support our efforts to provide customers with reliable and affordable energy,” he said.

Russell said that the company’s alternative investments are expected to create nearly the same number of jobs as would have been associated with building a new plant.

Consumers Energy has 1.8 million electric customers in Michigan.

Last week the Department of Natural Resources and Environment denied a permit for a petroleum coke and coal fired power plant planned by the Wolverine Power Cooperative in Rogers City.

One of the main reasons cited for the denial was the plant’s expected impact on ratepayers. According to the Michigan Public Service Commission the construction of that plant would have increased rates by around 60 percent.

Comments

  • Geoff Hirson

    Clean Coal Technology Breakthrough

    Coal is Green
    May 3, 2010: Newport Beach, CA – On the heels of the Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage meeting on May 6, 2010, in Washington, D.C, USA Green Energy Group,LLC announced a “Patent Pending Coal Combustion to Steam Process System” Today. USA Green’s process system uses 50% less coal without reducing the production of steam. USA Green’s process system removes NOX, SOX and other emission impurities down to EPA standards while capturing 99.9% commercial grade CO2 which meets the EPA’s requirements for sequestration. USA Green’s process system has been verified by fully licensed and registered United States based third party science and technology researchers and analysts. USA Green’s process system breakthrough can retrofit and nearly eliminate all emissions and pollutants from coal power plants, steel mills, refineries and other similarly situated fossil fuels.
    USA Green Energy Group, LLC’s CEO says “the company has satisfied our strict benchmarks for performance for each phase of development. USA Green is positioned to dive in the clean energy technology sector and our timing could not be better. Environmental, national security, and the reliance of imports are all concerns at our national and global door steps, and I am pleased to bring our company to the next phase of operations as a solution to each of these concerns.”
    USA Green’s units do not require traditional boiler system and can be installed utilizing existing steam turbine generators and power transmission without regular boiler room maintenance.
    USA Green Energy, LLC owns this “Patent Pending Coal Combustion to Steam Process System” and the production and installation of their units does not require the installation of gas emission scrubbers presently required on coal combustion plants. Our system removes 99% of SOx and NOx in the exhaust stream.
    With the installation of this “Patent Pending Coal Combustion to Steam Process System,” fuel costs are reduced by as much as 50% and SOx and NOx are eliminated. Installing USA Green Energy Group, LLC’s process system is relatively easy and replaces existing coal fired boilers which keeps existing steam generators and removes the traditional boiler rooms.
    “USA Green will make coal the economic and environmental energy source of choice and the availability of technology licensing agreements furnishes us with a worldwide market” says Hirson.
    Contact: Geoff Hirson or Gus Shouse Joint CEO & President – info@usageg.com

Categories & Tags: Environment/Energy| | | | |