Viewing Grant Proposal: DTE Gas Newago County Natural Gas Expansion

The expansion of natural gas in the Croton/Hardy communities of Newaygo County is fundamental in the growth and stability for our area. The ability to provide a cheaper, more reliable energy sources for the residents and businesses should come without question. Tourism and travel to the community can be enhanced through potential economic development as a result of this project.

Please accept this letter, in support of DTE Energy’s Natural Gas expansion project (Croton-Hardy Project), which will serve businesses and residents in portions of Sherman, Garfield, Brooks and Croton Townships. Natural gas expansion provides an affordable option for businesses and residents, making Newaygo County more competitive in attracting new residents and growing our population. As the lead organization supporting economic development in Newaygo County, we are fully supportive of any project that removes barriers to growth, including infrastructure expansion such as natural gas.

We support the expansion of natural gas in Newaygo County as it is critical to economic growth and sustainability. This expansion is consistent with the region’s federally required Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). It specifically meets Goal #1: Infrastructure - Maintain and invest in infrastructure critical to sustaining the region’s economy, and infrastructure that will enhance the region’s competitive economic advantages; and Objective - Provide infrastructure and utilities (especially natural gas) to support the economy and eliminate barriers to expansion.

I would be great to have natural gas in our area.

We live near the Hardy Dam and would greatly appreciate the opportunity to switch to natural gas! This would be a wonderful opportunity for all of us that live in this area. I support this 100%!

Yes please this would be a great asset to the area.

Interested in the opportunity to connect to natural gas.

Wish to be connwcted!!!!

All for natural gas in my area.

Please direct this low carbon funding to programs that are actually low carbon and cost effective to the people of Michigan: • Natural gas utilities already have every ability to expand natural gas lines to the rural parts of Michigan without subsidies from Michigan taxpayers. Neither Consumers Energy nor DTE Gas need to utilize taxpayer funds through the Low Carbon EIED grant program to expand natural gas as proposed in this or the other six projects put forward. Both Consumers Energy and DTE report hundreds of millions of dollars in profits annually, and both utilities have more than enough resources to expand natural gas lines without taxpayer funded grants. Instead, these grants should go to benefit local units of government with projects that benefit large communities. • Both Consumers Energy and DTE Gas inflate the cost savings by switching from propane to natural gas. Consumers Energy uses a basis of 1069 gallons for an average propane consumer and DTE uses 1050 gallons of propane use for its base calculation. For factual reference, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) Residential Energy Consumption (REC) report lists an average residential usage in at 770 gallons per customer - as one how has worked in the industry for several years can attest the REC report is on the high side for average customers in the lower peninsula. Using the basis of 770 gallons per year as an average propane use, Consumers Energy has inflated its calculations by 39 percent and DTE Gas has inflated its calculations by 36 percent. Both of those numbers greatly exaggerate any savings for consumers switching from propane to natural gas. • Also exaggerated were the savings that homeowners will receive from the switch from propane to natural gas. Both Consumers Energy and DTE Gas acknowledge that homeowners will have upfront expenses to make the fuel switch to natural gas, and rebates of up to $500 will be provided. It is likely to cost homeowners thousands of dollars to buy or convert furnaces, water heaters, stoves, and/or clothes dryers. Additionally, those homeowners will have out-of-pocket expenses for customer attachment program (CAP) to make the fuel switch. As savings to homeowners is a priority of the Low Carbon EIED program, these projects miss that mark. Environmental Impact Talking Points •. Quite simply, these proposals do not achieve the goal of carbon reduction. The carbon intensity difference between propane and natural gas is negligible. If this proposal is selected, then taxpayers will be paying for truly no decrease in carbon emissions. • This project does not require the utility companies to fix or upgrade their existing lines to protect their existing customers. Instead, natural gas leaks cause methane discharges, among the worst air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Methane is a super pollutant that is up to 83 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat in the atmosphere. Consumers Energy/DTE Gas should fix their existing leaking pipelines before they should be considered for any pipeline expansion. Please consider the full and accurate metrics as you consider where to invest our tax dollars in efforts to move to a truly lower carbon footprint in Michigan.