Michigan group submits petitions for ballot issue on renewable energy

LANSING -- Supporters of a Michigan ballot measure that would require utilities to get more of their electricity from renewable sources submitted more than a half-million petition signatures to the secretary of state's office.

The Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs coalition pushing the measure said Friday that it turned in 530,000 signatures, well above the approximately 323,000 required to put a proposal on the November ballot.

The proposal would require more than 80 electricity suppliers statewide to obtain 25 percent of their power from wind, solar, biomass, or hydropower by 2025.

The current requirement mandates they get 10 percent from renewable sources by 2015.

Backers say it would make Michigan a leader in clean energy and would create jobs.

"We are taking the first step toward becoming an energy leader that can compete with anyone in the world," said Mark Fisk, a spokesman for Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs.

Opponents say the measure would cost electricity customers more money and would increase the difficulty of providing reliable energy.

The Clean Affordable Renewable Energy for Michigan Coalition is working to defeat the issue, arguing the requirement doesn't belong in the state constitution.

In a statement Friday, it called the measure reckless and "an over-simplistic approach which will cause more problems than it solves."

If voters approve the measure in the fall, it is likely to end up in court because of a provision that limits to 1 percent utility customers' annual rate increases to cover renewable energy.