CLOSUP publications

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a fairly secluded place. It’s almost like its own world, often feeling detached from the rest of the country and even from the Lower Peninsula of the same state. We’re so under the radar that non-Michiganders can...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on a variety of energy issues, including whether energy issues are relevant to their local government, whether their jurisdiction has energy policies or renewable energy goals,...

It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I don’t feel fine. As a child, I saw the world as a place filled with pure happiness. It’s as though a bright, golden hue illuminated from everything I saw. I thought that no harm could fester in this...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on the amount of energy infrastructure currently hosted in their jurisdiction, as well as their support for or opposition to building new energy infrastructure locally. These...

When I was a young child, I saw my first wind turbine in the hills of Iowa when my family was driving from Michigan to Colorado. Many people consider them an eyesore, but I thought they looked absolutely wonderful. They were like giant pinwheels...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on electric vehicle (EV) policies in their communities, including the relevance of EV infrastructure planning for their government, whether they currently have or are considering...

Texas has long been a leader in energy production. Blessed with windy, wide-open plains, ample sunshine and large oil and gas deposits, Texas has attracted leading entrepreneurs and companies that continue to drive investment and politics in the...

This policy brief presents the views of Michigan's local government leaders regarding the division of authority between state and local governments on planning and zoning for renewable energy projects. These findings are based on statewide surveys...

Amid the intensifying impacts of a changing climate and the need to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy presents a critical area of policy and planning that requires states to reconsider the energy policy status quo....

This report is the second in a series on recycling issues in Michigan communities. It presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on challenges their jurisdictions face and opportunities to introduce, expand, or improve recycling...

This report presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding a variety of recycling issues and policies in their jurisdictions, including what types of recycling services are offered in communities across the state, changes to...

As market forces and policy interventions continue to facilitate a renewable energy transition, U.S. states are increasing their shares of renewable energy technologies. In recent years, Midwest states, such as Michigan – which have historically...

Like many other states, Illinois is moving toward decarbonizing its energy sector. A major part of this effort is shifting to renewable electricity  generation. As the nation’s third-largest net electricity supplier, Illinois’ energy sector...

In this memo, we examine the existing ways states have crafted legislation on property taxes for utility-scale solar developments and find two main categories of existing legislation—”exemption or abatement,” and “exemption and replacement.” We...

Many US States have adopted policies known as renewable portfolio standards (RPS) to address climate change by mandating the production of electricity from renewable energy sources. In 2020, Virginia became one of the few states to implement an RPS...

In the face of the urgent and growing climate crisis, policy experts on climate and the economy have pushed for national and other governments to implement a tax on carbon. The Biden administration is considering adopting such a policy (Green,...

Carbon taxes have been suggested by economists as the most cost-effective means to curb greenhouse gases emissions, but many people fear that such a tax would be inequitable. A content analysis of newspapers local to British Columbia and Alberta,...

This study inventories the current property tax treatments for utility-scale wind developments across all 50 states. This inventory was created entirely with publicly available information from a variety of web-based sources and is accurate as of...

As solar development increases, states face new challenges in regulating and taxing solar facilities. To better understand an important piece of the current regulatory landscape for solar, this study inventories property tax treatment for...

Waste is a growing issue in the United States that can be potentially aided with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) methods. This paper analyzes the current inventory of all EPR policies across the US. The analysis consists of the bill author’s...

Divestment of large institutions, particularly higher education institutions, from the fossil fuel industry is an important mitigation and adaptation strategy that also contributes to shifting the global culture and conversation around climate...

Disclosure of climate-related financial risk has been introduced as a way to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon financial system, by reducing information asymmetry between a company and its stakeholders. This paper conducts...

Though the climate crisis will eventually spare no one, it is inherently an issue of justice and equity. This paper aims to discern how two coastal cities - Baltimore and Seattle - are contending with climate change and, more specifically, climate...

In the past few years, the Great Lakes have experienced an increase in harmful algal blooms in large part due to agricultural runoff and results in increased levels of toxins in the water putting the drinking supply at risk. The current policies are...

Since the introduction of the Federal Tax Credit (FTC) for electric vehicles, the US has been able to reduce the number of gasoline powered vehicles on the road by incentivizing users to purchase electric vehicles (EVs). However, as the FTC phases...