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By Chrystal Blair
October 16, 2024
In the aftermath of devastating hurricanes in other parts of the country, the Michigan city of Ferndale will soon unlock close to $370 billion in federal funds to combat the climate crisis closer to home. This support from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used to help strengthen the city’s clean energy plans.
Ferndale Mayor Raylon Leaks-May joined Michigan U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Rochester Hills, and local leaders at a Tuesday news conference to highlight Ferndale’s leadership in clean energy and climate action.
“We are committed to reducing the city’s emissions by 63% by 2030, and to become carbon neutral by 2050. An important piece of this is encouraging more residential solar use, as well as designing for more efficient and solar-ready government facilities,” Leaks-May said.
The 2023 Clean Jobs America Report says Michigan’s clean energy sector added over 5,400 new jobs in 2022.
Stevens has been a driving force behind key environmental legislation, including the Climate Action Now Act, and credits Ferndale’s clean energy progress to a collaborative effort.
“And none of this legislation gets done without profound local relationships that we see here in Ferndale each and every day. Yes, this is in many respects a small community – but it is not a quiet community,” Stevens said.
By May 2024, Michigan, with funding from the IRA, had launched 45 clean energy projects.
Quinn Zeagler, a member of the Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission, said local residents are key to driving these advancements.
“It’s up to residents to learn more, to take advantage of the opportunities to make our homes more energy efficient, and more comfortable,” Zeagler said.
Michigan has received $159 million in federal funding to help lower the cost of community and rooftop solar installations for thousands of low-income households.
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