John Chamberlin, Ford School professor emeritus of public policy and political science, says a recent controversy in Lansing calls out the need for increased transparency when it comes to lawmakers. A Michigan state representative is proposing a law...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding a variety of energy issues and policies in their jurisdictions, including the relevance of particular energy policies for their communities, whether the jurisdiction...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding current and potential local government collaboration on a range of sustainability and energy policies. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local...
Representing a new line of research, Ford School professor Barry Rabe explores the politics around taxing methane gas releases. Rabe argues that consensus among economists is “the best way to reduce climate risks linked to carbon dioxide emissions...
With U.S. farm bankruptcy rates rising, farmers have been turning to the wind energy to make ends meet. Sarah Mills, senior project manager at the Ford School's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) was featured in a USA Today article...
The 2018 midterm elections set an unprecedented amount of campaign spending, with one cause taking a surprising lead. In their November 5, 2018, article in E&E News titled “4 States Have Ballot Measures That Could Shape U.S. Climate Policy,”...
A new publication by Rachel Hampton and Barry Rabe, titled "Leaving money on the table: Pennsylvania exceptionalism in resisting energy severance taxes," was published in Commonwealth this month. In it, Hampton and Rabe reflect on Pennsylvania's...
Barry Rabe, who was traveling through North Dakota for ongoing research on state energy taxes in the shale era, was interviewed by Emily Guerin for “Inside Energy: North Dakota oil taxes.” The story, which aired on Prairie Public Radio on May 4,...
Join Karl Hausker, Senior Fellow at World Resources Institute Energy and Climate Program as he discusses climate challenges and solutions of getting to net-zero emissions.
How do Americans think about energy? Is the debate over fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy highly partisan and ideological? Are people’s preferences for different energy sources idiosyncratic, or is there a common pattern that explains how people view energy across sources? How much does concern about climate change weigh on these opinions?
This event will be held at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC
The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) invites our Washington DC colleagues to attend a discussion hosted by the Wilson Center/Canada Institute featuring CLOSUP Director, Barry Rabe, and our collaborating National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE) partners, Christopher Borick, Director, Muhlenberg Institute of Public Opinion, and Erick Lachapelle, Assistant Professor, University of Montreal. The discussion will feature findings from the FALL 2015 round of ongoing survey work in both Canada and the US. Key themes will include public views on whether climate change is occurring, response to a range of possible policy options across levels of government, and reaction to Pope Francis' recent engagement on the issue. The U.S. portion of the survey will also include an early look at how Americans want their states to respond to the new Clean Power Plan. The session is free but requires registration. Please call 202-691-4000 or email canada@wilsoncenter.org to reserve your seat.
Christian Koch*, Nathan Legault*, Saif Ur Rehman*, Elizabeth Wallace*, University of Michigan
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...
Gus Cordero*, Kacey Eis*, Cecilia Garibay*, Tyler Orcutt*, University of Michigan
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...
Emma Uebelhor**, Jane Wentrack**, University of Michigan
As the economic viability of utility-scale renewable energy systems has grown through the past decades, wind and solar developers are increasingly interested in placing projects on farmland. While landowners, communities and developers gain benefits...
Amanda Farthing*, Matilda Kreider*, Bhavesh Rathod*, University of Michigan
In wind and solar resource potential, New Mexico is among the most endowed of the 50 states. While the state’s electricity sector has historically been dominated by coal, the passage of New Mexico’s first Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) in 2000,...
This research paper outlines the prevailing narratives, discussion, and news coverage at the state and local level around investment in transmission, provides a review of the regional and federal policy and history of transmission systems, and...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding a variety of energy issues and policies in their jurisdictions, including the relevance of particular energy policies for their communities, whether the jurisdiction...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding current and potential local government collaboration on a range of sustainability and energy policies. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local...
Christopher Bowman*, Guy Packard*, Zach Pritchard*, University of Michigan
Despite voting Republican in every presidential election since Reagan, Texas was one of the first states to adopt a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) and is now ranked third nationally in production of renewable energy, beaten only by California...
This report presents information from Michigan local government officials regarding local energy issues and policies. In addition, the report looks at local officials’ opinions on environmental leadership in local government. These findings are...
Energy-producing states confront numerous challenges related to the boom-and-bust of resource extraction, including substantial fluctuation in revenue produced by severance taxes. Revenues surge as drilling expands during booms, creating many...
THE SPRING 2019 MICHIGAN PUBLIC POLICY SURVEY
Topics:
Annual tracking items for fiscal, budget, operation policies; preparation for the next recession; problems with opioids; local government energy issues; preparation for the 2020...
