New Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force holds first meeting in Marquette

MARQUETTE — The new Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force will hold its first meeting this afternoon in Marquette.

The task force was established through Executive Order 2019-14 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to investigate ways to learn more reliable ways to utilize energy at a lower cost in the U.P. The presentation introduced members of the team and talked about how disruption affects many different variables within the Upper Peninsula.

Some of the most important topics talked about were the affordability of energy resources and effective ways of getting through challenges that may arise.

“The focus of the discussion is broadly thinking about resiliency for the Upper Peninsula from an energy perspective in the face of disruption,” explained Liesl Clark, Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. “The short term discussion is about if there were to be a disruption in the propane world. While, the longer term discussion is thinking about the intricacies of how energy fits together for the Upper Peninsula.”

Now the task force is mandated through the executive order to report on energy disruptions. The task force will also broadly look at challenges to energy disruption within the U.P. and the changes that may develop overtime.