Advocacy News – June 12, 2025
What’s new: With short notice, Senate Democrats held a special committee hearing Wednesday once again on testimony that would upend brownfield re-development and environmental cleanups in the state.
- The Senate Energy and Environment Committee held testimony on Senate Bills 385, 386, 387, 391, 392 and 393, a set of bills that, if enacted, would add untenable cost and liability associated with owning brownfield properties in the state.
Why it matters: Although the bill sponsors state the intent is to increase cleanups and accountability, the bills would in fact do the opposite — like, punishing innocent property owners simply for owning parcels that contained contamination they did not cause, and slowing down cleanup efforts by private businesses with added regulations and legal burdens.
The bottom line: Michigan is a large manufacturing state and manufacturing continues to be the largest job creating sector. Brownfield redevelopment programs need to foster economic development to support the health, vitality and environment of Michigan communities.
- Imposing excessive costs or legal liabilities on brownfield ownership and redevelopment would effectively reverse decades of progress, deterring investment and returning Michigan to an era when these properties were largely abandoned and urban revitalization stalled.
What we’re saying: The MI Chamber worked with several businesses and community development groups to voice our strong opposition to these bills. Not only is the policy wrong for Michigan, but when it is crafted behind closed doors without proper collaboration, the process is too.
What’s next: The Michigan Chamber will remain steadfast in opposing these regressive legislative proposals and will actively work to prevent their enactment.
For questions or more information, contact Mike Alaimo.