News Story

Coming soon to your town: the Michigan Climate Corps

Michigan taxpayers fund governor’s climate mission with $2.6 million over 2 years

Describing itself as a “movement to accelerate climate action in Michigan,” the MI Healthy Climate Corps is now accepting applications for its first 30-member team.

For the next two years, Michigan taxpayers will fund the program to the tune of $2.6 million.

The climate corps is to consist of 30 contract workers who will fan out across Michigan, from mid-March to late November, to enact Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Healthy Climate Plan.

“When it comes to carrying out the MI Healthy Climate Plan, who better to help than the MI Healthy Climate Corps?” asked the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. The climate corps will be made of AmeriCorps members, whose work will be funded over two years by $2.6 million in taxpayer money.

Compensation for climate corps staffers will include:

  • A living allowance of approximately $3,000 per month
  • $5,176.50 education award to use toward loans or future education expenses
  • Health care benefits that include dental, vision, and mental health support
  • Eligibility for AmeriCorps child care assistance
  • Free attendance at the MI Healthy Climate Conference

Among the governments and nonprofit organizations that will be assigned climate corps members are the cities of Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo; Oakland and Washtenaw counties; Detroit Future City; Let’s Grow Michigan; and the West Michigan Environmental Action Council.

The second cohort starts in September and will work for 11 months.

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.