For Friday, Jan. 24, 2025

1 – Filter First laws have been in place for a year in Michigan. 

The goal is to reduce children’s exposure to lead in drinking water at schools and childcare centers.

In December, the state’s environmental agency announced $50 million in grants to schools and childcare centers across the state. 

The money is to install bottle-filling stations, faucet-mount filters, filtered water pitchers and replacement cartridges to protect students from lead.

Awardees included Bay City Public Schools, receiving $284,000, and several other districts in the region. 

Childcare centers must comply with the new law by October 2025 and schools by June 2026.

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2 – Michigan saw the most benefits in the nation from federal clean energy funding. 

A report from the advocacy group Climate Power says Michigan led the country in bringing home Inflation Reduction Act funding to make the state more energy independent and competitive for clean manufacturing. 

The report says Michigan projects funded by the act resulted in almost $28 billion in new investment, supporting more 26,000 good-paying jobs with more jobs projected.

State officials say the federal investments have supported a variety of sectors, including batteries, clean technologies, electric vehicles, grid upgrades, hydrogen and solar. 

The governor’s office recently highlighted the so-called “clean energy boom” report, saying that growing Michigan’s clean energy economy will lower energy costs, create jobs, preserve and grow the auto industry, help Michigan stay globally competitive, and protect against climate pollution.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

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