Lucas Smolcic Larson
@lucassmolciclarson.bsky.social
Environmental Reporter with MLive, focused on energy and utilities in Michigan. Contact: https://www.mlive.com/staff/LSMOLCIC/posts.html
These DTE customers dealt with fried appliances and property damage after power surges. The utility denied fault, but offered them "customer relations payments."
To accept, they'd have to keep quiet about their experience.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
To accept, they'd have to keep quiet about their experience.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
Power surges damaged their property. DTE offered payouts if they kept quiet
“It does seem intended to silence people’s ability to talk about what they’re experiencing," said one lawyer who has represented clients in utility damage and billing disputes with DTE.
www.mlive.com
October 22, 2025 at 3:30 PM
These DTE customers dealt with fried appliances and property damage after power surges. The utility denied fault, but offered them "customer relations payments."
To accept, they'd have to keep quiet about their experience.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
To accept, they'd have to keep quiet about their experience.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/10...
Without disaster aid, one northern MI power cooperative estimates its ice storm recovery costs amount to $4,500 per member household.
Whitmer is appealing Trump's denial of some categories of aid, including utility relief.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/08...
Whitmer is appealing Trump's denial of some categories of aid, including utility relief.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/08...
Whitmer appeals to Trump to unlock more ice storm disaster aid
President Donald Trump denied federal disaster relief for utilities and individuals in a July declaration, and power cooperatives are already hiking rates to cover storm recovery costs.
www.mlive.com
August 25, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Without disaster aid, one northern MI power cooperative estimates its ice storm recovery costs amount to $4,500 per member household.
Whitmer is appealing Trump's denial of some categories of aid, including utility relief.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/08...
Whitmer is appealing Trump's denial of some categories of aid, including utility relief.
www.mlive.com/news/2025/08...
The Trump administration doubled down on its use of emergency powers to keep a Michigan coal plant open last night, ordering it run through November while facing a slew of legal challenges.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Trump administration orders 3 more months of burning coal at Michigan power plant
Trump officials extended an emergency order keeping Consumer Energy's J.H. Campbell coal plant open through November.
www.mlive.com
August 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The Trump administration doubled down on its use of emergency powers to keep a Michigan coal plant open last night, ordering it run through November while facing a slew of legal challenges.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
They had the opportunity, but Michigan game regulators did NOT restore a year-round coyote hunting season, as some outlets are reporting.
They committed to modifying rules in the future, targeting "out-of-season" killing of nuisance coyotes.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
They committed to modifying rules in the future, targeting "out-of-season" killing of nuisance coyotes.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan game regulators commit to expand coyote killing, but no rules changed yet
Michigan hunters and animal rights activists have clashed over an annual three-month ban on coyote hunting while pups need their parents to survive.
www.mlive.com
August 15, 2025 at 2:23 PM
They had the opportunity, but Michigan game regulators did NOT restore a year-round coyote hunting season, as some outlets are reporting.
They committed to modifying rules in the future, targeting "out-of-season" killing of nuisance coyotes.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
They committed to modifying rules in the future, targeting "out-of-season" killing of nuisance coyotes.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The AI boom relies on power-hungry data centers. As utilities line up to serve them, some worry the costs will fall on all of our power bills. This NYT story cites several examples.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
Big Tech’s A.I. Boom Is Reordering the U.S. Power Grid
www.nytimes.com
August 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
The AI boom relies on power-hungry data centers. As utilities line up to serve them, some worry the costs will fall on all of our power bills. This NYT story cites several examples.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
This year's ice storm in northern Michigan left many without power for weeks. Now, it's jacking up electric bills. Residents worry disaster aid won't make them whole. "There's fewer of us to bit this bullet," one said.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The ice storm walloped northern Michigan’s power grid. Residents are paying for it
Utilities paid big sums to bring power back, and disaster aid may not cover all of it. "There's fewer of us to bite this bullet," rural northern Michigan residents say.
www.mlive.com
August 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This year's ice storm in northern Michigan left many without power for weeks. Now, it's jacking up electric bills. Residents worry disaster aid won't make them whole. "There's fewer of us to bit this bullet," one said.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
5 years after the catastrophic Edenville Dam failure, Michigan is still trying to fend off lawsuits claiming the state enabled the flooding and failed to take steps to stop the breach.
@garretellison.bsky.social and I dug into the claims.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
@garretellison.bsky.social and I dug into the claims.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Years after Edenville flood, blame game still rages in Michigan court
A class action case strikes at Michigan’s oversight of the Edenville Dam prior to catastrophic flooding.
www.mlive.com
August 11, 2025 at 1:46 PM
5 years after the catastrophic Edenville Dam failure, Michigan is still trying to fend off lawsuits claiming the state enabled the flooding and failed to take steps to stop the breach.
@garretellison.bsky.social and I dug into the claims.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
@garretellison.bsky.social and I dug into the claims.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
As promised, homebuilders are taking to court to stop new, more energy efficient building codes from taking effect in Michigan.
Supporters say the updates will save thousands on homeowners' utility bills. The building industry warns of upfront costs.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Supporters say the updates will save thousands on homeowners' utility bills. The building industry warns of upfront costs.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Builders sue to block Michigan’s first new home construction codes in 10 years
Over the long run, new Michigan building codes could save homebuyers substantially on utility bills, but builders say the upfront costs are too much.
www.mlive.com
June 26, 2025 at 5:57 PM
As promised, homebuilders are taking to court to stop new, more energy efficient building codes from taking effect in Michigan.
Supporters say the updates will save thousands on homeowners' utility bills. The building industry warns of upfront costs.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Supporters say the updates will save thousands on homeowners' utility bills. The building industry warns of upfront costs.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Recently, I dug into an issue that's been on my mind since I started reporting on utilities in Michigan. Why are our electric rates so high?
Read on for some potential answers, and why your utility will claim your power costs are actually below average. www.mlive.com/environment/...
Read on for some potential answers, and why your utility will claim your power costs are actually below average. www.mlive.com/environment/...
Why are Michigan’s residential power rates so high? ‘This is getting outrageous’
Michigan residents pay on average the highest electric rates in the Midwest and among the steepest in the nation.
www.mlive.com
June 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Recently, I dug into an issue that's been on my mind since I started reporting on utilities in Michigan. Why are our electric rates so high?
Read on for some potential answers, and why your utility will claim your power costs are actually below average. www.mlive.com/environment/...
Read on for some potential answers, and why your utility will claim your power costs are actually below average. www.mlive.com/environment/...
Keeping an old coal plant open under a Trump order, especially one that was days from closing, will bring big costs for the utility that owns it, experts say.
While the details are still slim, it promises to burden utility bills. Here's how.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
While the details are still slim, it promises to burden utility bills. Here's how.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
After Trump order, who will pay to keep Michigan coal plant on life support?
The Trump administration ordered Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant stay online days before it was slated to shut down. Experts say utility customers will bear the costs.
www.mlive.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Keeping an old coal plant open under a Trump order, especially one that was days from closing, will bring big costs for the utility that owns it, experts say.
While the details are still slim, it promises to burden utility bills. Here's how.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
While the details are still slim, it promises to burden utility bills. Here's how.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The Trump administration has ordered Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant to stay open using emergency authority.
State regulators say there's no emergency in Michigan, and the move increases power costs for homes and businesses.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
State regulators say there's no emergency in Michigan, and the move increases power costs for homes and businesses.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Trump officials order Michigan coal power plant must stay open on eve of shutdown
Consumers Energy was slated to close its last coal-fired power plant on Lake Michigan within weeks, but Trump officials are using emergency authority to intervene.
www.mlive.com
May 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
The Trump administration has ordered Consumers Energy's J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant to stay open using emergency authority.
State regulators say there's no emergency in Michigan, and the move increases power costs for homes and businesses.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
State regulators say there's no emergency in Michigan, and the move increases power costs for homes and businesses.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan needs to do more fighting fire with fire, lighting controlled burns to reduce the risk of massive uncontrolled blazes in a warming world.
My colleague Sheri McWhirter got up close with the efforts to burn more in the name of healthier forests.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
My colleague Sheri McWhirter got up close with the efforts to burn more in the name of healthier forests.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Fighting wildfire with fire: Can Michigan burn its way to healthier forests?
Is Michigan prepared for growing wildfire risks? Not unless we burn more, experts say
www.mlive.com
May 22, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Michigan needs to do more fighting fire with fire, lighting controlled burns to reduce the risk of massive uncontrolled blazes in a warming world.
My colleague Sheri McWhirter got up close with the efforts to burn more in the name of healthier forests.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
My colleague Sheri McWhirter got up close with the efforts to burn more in the name of healthier forests.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Five years ago, catastrophic dam failures in Michigan sparked a reckoning about the risks aging dams pose. Politicians promised action. But despite dire warnings in the aftermath, a suite of key safety reforms remain shelved.
w/ @garretellison.bsky.social
www.mlive.com/environment/...
w/ @garretellison.bsky.social
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Five years after Edenville, Michigan dams remain a ‘ticking time bomb’
Despite the 2020 catastrophe, a slew of dam safety fixes remain shelved. “We’re still at the starting blocks waiting for the gun to go off,” said one long-time Lansing insider.
www.mlive.com
May 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Five years ago, catastrophic dam failures in Michigan sparked a reckoning about the risks aging dams pose. Politicians promised action. But despite dire warnings in the aftermath, a suite of key safety reforms remain shelved.
w/ @garretellison.bsky.social
www.mlive.com/environment/...
w/ @garretellison.bsky.social
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Some Friday news for Michigan hunters:
The state is backtracking on controversial limits on the special liberty and independence hunts for youth and hunters with disabilities. In the U.P., "doe with a bow" is back for the first time in a decade.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The state is backtracking on controversial limits on the special liberty and independence hunts for youth and hunters with disabilities. In the U.P., "doe with a bow" is back for the first time in a decade.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan backtracks on limits to special deer hunts, allows ‘doe with a bow’ in U.P.
Game regulators reversed a controversial decision to prevent youth and hunters with disabilities from shooting bucks during special early seasons.
www.mlive.com
May 9, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Some Friday news for Michigan hunters:
The state is backtracking on controversial limits on the special liberty and independence hunts for youth and hunters with disabilities. In the U.P., "doe with a bow" is back for the first time in a decade.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The state is backtracking on controversial limits on the special liberty and independence hunts for youth and hunters with disabilities. In the U.P., "doe with a bow" is back for the first time in a decade.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan's two largest utilities are entering the fourth year of a legal battle with a contractor they allege botched a half billion-dollar upgrade to a big hydroelectric plant on Lake Michigan. I dug into the case and how it could affect customers.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Big utilities locked in court battle over pricey overhaul of power plant on Lake Michigan
DTE and Consumers Energy allege a contractor botched a more than $500 million upgrade to the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant. Who will pay for repairs?
www.mlive.com
May 5, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Michigan's two largest utilities are entering the fourth year of a legal battle with a contractor they allege botched a half billion-dollar upgrade to a big hydroelectric plant on Lake Michigan. I dug into the case and how it could affect customers.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Mandatory park passes with vehicle registration and increases in hunting and fishing license fees are part of a package of bills seeking to fill shortfalls for the Michigan DNR.
Not everything would go up; it would make hunting antlerless deer cheaper.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Not everything would go up; it would make hunting antlerless deer cheaper.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Bills would up Michigan hunting, fishing license fees and require vehicle park passes
Hunting and fishing license fees have remained stagnant for more than a decade, and officials say the state is in dire need of conservation and parks funding.
www.mlive.com
May 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Mandatory park passes with vehicle registration and increases in hunting and fishing license fees are part of a package of bills seeking to fill shortfalls for the Michigan DNR.
Not everything would go up; it would make hunting antlerless deer cheaper.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Not everything would go up; it would make hunting antlerless deer cheaper.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The state of Michigan owns more dams than any other single owner. On average, they're 62 years old. As more fail, a big infrastructure bill is coming due.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
A big dam problem: 200+ Michigan-owned dams are old and failing
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources manages more dams than any other owner in the state. What happens as they keep aging?
www.mlive.com
April 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM
The state of Michigan owns more dams than any other single owner. On average, they're 62 years old. As more fail, a big infrastructure bill is coming due.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Hydrogen is hyped as a 100% clean fuel that could help slash carbon emissions from industry and transportation.
In Michigan, it turns out there could be lots of it under our feet.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
In Michigan, it turns out there could be lots of it under our feet.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
‘A new gold rush’: Could Michigan’s clean energy future be buried underground?
Startups across the globe are searching for vast deposits of hydrogen gas, a 100% clean fuel, underground. Michigan's geology is perfect, scientists say.
www.mlive.com
April 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Hydrogen is hyped as a 100% clean fuel that could help slash carbon emissions from industry and transportation.
In Michigan, it turns out there could be lots of it under our feet.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
In Michigan, it turns out there could be lots of it under our feet.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Update: After we published this story, the EPA rescinded the termination of at least $40M in Michigan grants, saying the terminations were "accidentally sent."
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
April 3, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Update: After we published this story, the EPA rescinded the termination of at least $40M in Michigan grants, saying the terminations were "accidentally sent."
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
A $20M EPA grant to fashion Detroit soup kitchens and food pantries in to "resilience hubs" that can weather power outages is on the Trump admin's chopping block. We confirmed the termination of more than $42M in Michigan EJ grants. www.mlive.com/environment/...
Trump officials axe millions for Michigan soup kitchen upgrades ‘without warning’
The cuts threaten efforts to install solar panels on Detroit food pantries so they can weather power outages, the restoration of a blighted Benton Harbor community center and other projects.
www.mlive.com
April 1, 2025 at 3:29 PM
A $20M EPA grant to fashion Detroit soup kitchens and food pantries in to "resilience hubs" that can weather power outages is on the Trump admin's chopping block. We confirmed the termination of more than $42M in Michigan EJ grants. www.mlive.com/environment/...
GOP reps say Michigan's clean energy law doesn't work for the Upper Peninsula. Their solution? Call natural gas power plants "clean" and "renewable" under the law, a big carveout for the U.P.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan Republicans look to classify U.P. natural gas power plants as clean, renewable
Upper Peninsula Republicans, mining interests and business groups are worried state requirements to boost clean power will be "catastrophic" for Yoopers' electric bills. Environmentalists push back.
www.mlive.com
March 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
GOP reps say Michigan's clean energy law doesn't work for the Upper Peninsula. Their solution? Call natural gas power plants "clean" and "renewable" under the law, a big carveout for the U.P.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
There are ~240 energy projects — many solar farms — lined up to connect to the power grid in MI. They can wait for years. Many are canceled or face high costs to plug in. The bottleneck is bad news for climate, reliability and power bills, experts say.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Hundreds of Michigan clean energy projects wait years to plug in. Most never do
An explosion in clean energy development has clogged the process of hooking up to the power grid, threatening reliability, power bills and the climate, experts say.
www.mlive.com
March 24, 2025 at 3:24 PM
There are ~240 energy projects — many solar farms — lined up to connect to the power grid in MI. They can wait for years. Many are canceled or face high costs to plug in. The bottleneck is bad news for climate, reliability and power bills, experts say.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Trump's EPA is looking to give dirty coal power plants a reprieve from pollution rules.
While there are reasons to expect Michigan might be insulated from the deregulatory push, advocates say it's a health and climate threat.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
While there are reasons to expect Michigan might be insulated from the deregulatory push, advocates say it's a health and climate threat.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Trump power plant pollution rollbacks threaten Michiganders, advocates warn
Environmental advocates say loosening mercury pollution restrictions and requirements to slash carbon emissions at power plants amounts to a "denial of science" and will risk the health of communities...
www.mlive.com
March 19, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Trump's EPA is looking to give dirty coal power plants a reprieve from pollution rules.
While there are reasons to expect Michigan might be insulated from the deregulatory push, advocates say it's a health and climate threat.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
While there are reasons to expect Michigan might be insulated from the deregulatory push, advocates say it's a health and climate threat.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Last year, a decades-old backup generator burst into flames at one of Michigan's six fish hatcheries, jeopardizing millions of fish.
The DNR says its a symptom of a wildlife funding crisis, though not all hunters and anglers are so sure.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The DNR says its a symptom of a wildlife funding crisis, though not all hunters and anglers are so sure.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan pushes to increase hunting, fishing license fees amid wildlife funding ‘crisis’
The license fees haven't increased in more than a decade, and wildlife officials with the Michigan DNR say they plan to close fish research stations and cut conservation programs.
www.mlive.com
March 4, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Last year, a decades-old backup generator burst into flames at one of Michigan's six fish hatcheries, jeopardizing millions of fish.
The DNR says its a symptom of a wildlife funding crisis, though not all hunters and anglers are so sure.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
The DNR says its a symptom of a wildlife funding crisis, though not all hunters and anglers are so sure.
www.mlive.com/environment/...
Michigan's two largest utilities will be subject to a carrot-and-stick system involving $10 million in annual penalties and incentives as part of a state effort to speed a fix to their outage problems
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...
DTE, Consumers could face up to $10M in fines if they can’t reduce outages
The major power companies could also earn financial incentives if they can demonstrate improvements in outage restoration time, under a new Michigan penalty and reward system.
www.mlive.com
February 28, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Michigan's two largest utilities will be subject to a carrot-and-stick system involving $10 million in annual penalties and incentives as part of a state effort to speed a fix to their outage problems
www.mlive.com/environment/...
www.mlive.com/environment/...