Advocacy News – Sept. 4, 2025
What’s new: In a fast-moving week, the Senate Energy & Environment Committee – and then the full Senate – approved bipartisan bills (SBs 394-396) to create a state-level framework for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The MI SUCCESS Coalition, convened by the MI Chamber, helped lead the charge alongside partners in business, agriculture, labor, and conservation groups.
Why it matters: Michigan has the geology, expertise and partnerships to be a national leader in CCS, which can capture carbon dioxide from hard-to-decarbonize sectors like cement, steel, energy, and manufacturing – storing it safely underground or recycling it into useful products.
With state permitting authority, Michigan can:
- Cut emissions while protecting air and water
- Support and create jobs in energy-intensive industries
- Compete with neighboring states for new investment
- Tap into storage capacity estimated at 70 billion tons of CO₂ — “hundreds if not thousands of years” of Michigan’s emissions
What’s in the bills:
- Creating standards and permitting processes for construction, installation, operation, and closure of carbon sequestration projects, aligned with the federal Class VI well program.
- Granting the Michigan Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) – not the U.S. EPA – primary oversight of CCS projects.
- Protecting confidential business info while ensuring transparency and allowing community engagement and feedback.
What’s next: The package heads to the House, where changes are likely. The MI SUCCESS Coalition will be connecting with House leadership and actively following next steps, including hearings and amendments.
For more information or Qs: Contact Sr Director of Legislative and External Affairs Mike Alaimo. Learn more about the MI SUCCESS Coalition and carbon capture here.