Dear Neighbor,
It’s nearing the end of summer, so it would be an ideal time to get outdoors before the back-to-school season, but unfortunately for many in Michigan, poor air quality makes enjoying time outdoors difficult. This week, I participated in a press conference with the Clear the Air Coalition to talk about why we need the Protecting Overburdened Communities Act sponsored by me and Rep. Donavan McKinney. See more information below.
Meanwhile, my team and I have been working hard at serving our community — meeting with folks at local events to hear what’s on their minds, planning district events like our upcoming Outdoor Resource Fair in Highland Park, and knocking on doors across neighborhoods to find out what’s on your minds.
As always, please feel free to reach out to share your thoughts or seek assistance with any challenges you may be facing with state departments. You can email me at SenSChang@senate.michigan.gov or call 313-922-6949.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Chang
State Senator
District 3
- Thanks to a $4.5 million investment Senate Democrats secured in last year’s state budget, nearly 210,000 Michiganders in communities across our state have had their medical debt forgiven. And we’re not done yet! Learn more below.
- Join me for my upcoming coffee and conversation event with Detroit Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero and the Detroit Economic Justice Coalition at Avalon Bakery (441 W. Canfield) on August 8, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
- Because of state investments secured by Senate Democrats, Michiganders can save up to $5,500 a year on higher education costs with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. Learn more below.
Community Conversation with Detroit Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero
Join us for our next community conversation in Detroit, which will feature a special presentation from the Detroit Economic Justice Coalition.
WHEN: Friday, August 8, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Avalon Bakery, 441 W. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201
Outdoor Resource Fair with the City of Highland Park
WHEN: Saturday, August 16, from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Ernest T. Ford Recreation Center, 10 Pitkin St., Highland Park, MI 48203
Protecting Overburdened Communities Act (POCA)
For many years, I have had the honor of serving several neighborhoods in Detroit and Downriver that have been heavily burdened by concentrations of heavy industry, truck traffic, construction, and more. From the oil refinery and multiple industrial facilities in Southwest Detroit to the now closed steel mill Downriver and over to the East Side with a large automotive manufacturing facility and recent fires at an oil recycling plant, the list of impacts on my current and former residents from polluting facilities is quite long. Cumulative impact refers to the combined impact of multiple polluting facilities and multiple pollutant types, and consideration of health conditions and demographic factors.
Michigan’s Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is tasked with protecting the state’s environment and public health. Unfortunately, right now our systems are not set up to officially consider the combined impact of numerous facilities and numerous pollutants on our health. This puts overburdened communities that bear the brunt of pollution at further risk for more harmful health impacts and a lesser quality of life.
So, along with Rep. Donavan McKinney, I reintroduced the Protecting Overburdened Communities Act — Senate Bill 479 and House Bill 4742 — to require EGLE to use a commonsense, science-based approach to instead consider combined health impacts for new or expanding polluting facilities. Michiganders deserve these changes to help protect their health and quality of life.
Tax Changes for Michiganders Under Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bad Bill
Earlier this summer, Republicans in Washington paved the way for the passage of Trump’s budget mega-bill. Signed into law on July 4, this massive spending bill continues to add to the chaos and concern spurred by federal actions since January of this year. This Big Terrible Bill will certainly have a big impact, but that impact looks to be anything but beautiful.
Along with stripping health care and food assistance away from millions of Americans, including an estimated 500,000 Michiganders expected to lose their health coverage, ballooning our national debt, adding several billion dollars for unchecked deportation efforts, and restricting opportunities for student loan borrowers, this new federal budget bill notoriously marks the largest transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest in our nation’s history.
By making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, this new Republican-backed law hands out trillions of dollars in tax cuts to the country’s wealthiest individuals, businesses, and corporations while leaving millions of low-income and working families nationwide to foot the bill.
With Michigan being the Great Lakes State, let’s break down how Trump’s big, bad bill impacts Michiganders with different incomes and their ability to take a summertime trip. For Michigan taxpayers, here’s what the average tax cut looks like for the…
- Bottom 20% who make up to $21,900 a year: $20 — enough to fill about one-third of a tank of gas for a trip to the beach.
- Second 20% who make up to $48,100 a year: $550 — enough to pay for weekend accommodations near one of our shorelines.
- Top 1% who make $715,800 and above: nearly $50,000 — enough to afford a yearly mortgage for a house on Lake Michigan. That’s 2,500 times the size of the average tax cut for those Michiganders who are struggling the most.
Find the full breakdown by income group here. And, keep in mind that for everyday Michiganders, these figures do not reflect resource losses from cuts to vital social safety programs or price increases linked to Trump’s tariff policies.
While Republicans in Washington have clearly shown who they’re working for, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I remain committed to putting YOU — the hard-working people of Michigan — first. I’m proud to continue advocating for Gleaners Community Food Bank funding and was proud to vote for a budget that includes grants to support food banks providing meals that vulnerable community members desperately need as food insecurity rises. From including funds to protect Michiganders from rash federal actions in our own state budget proposal to calling on Michigan’s congressional delegation to reject this dangerous federal budget bill, the Michigan Senate Democrats have done whatever we can to fight back against Trump and used every tool at our disposal to safeguard Michigan residents — and we will keep doing so every step of the way.
Eliminating Medical Debt for Michiganders
Health care is a human right. No one should be forced into a cycle of debt and poverty just for seeking the medical care they need and deserve. That’s why Michigan Senate Democrats have remained committed to providing economic relief for Michiganders who have been saddled by medical debt.
Announced recently, nearly 210,000 Michiganders in communities across our state have had their medical debts forgiven thanks to the $4.5 million we secured in last year’s state budget under Sen. Sarah Anthony’s leadership.
And, while attacks at the federal level attempt to amplify the burden shouldered by those with medical debt, our work here at the state Capitol is far from over. Building off last year’s progress, Senate Democrats proposed an additional $5 million for debt forgiveness in the 2026 State Budget along with reintroducing bipartisan legislation to continue tackling this growing issue. Championed again by Sen. Anthony, this new legislation would establish clear guidelines for hospitals to offer financial assistance programs and strengthen consumer protections for patients struggling with medical expenses.
Upcoming Public Hearing on Draft for Overburdened Criteria for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs
The Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will hold a virtual public hearing at 1:00 p.m. on August 11, 2025 to receive comment on the draft Municipal Water and Wastewater System Overburdened Criteria for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Programs. The hearing will cover the draft criteria and any changes made to the current overburdened criteria that will impact projects beginning in fiscal year 2027. The draft criteria is available on the New SRF Affordability Criteria Development webpage for review.
Click here to register for the virtual hearing.
EGLE Hearing Regarding Hazardous Waste Facility License
The Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Materials Management Division (MMD) intends to issue a Hazardous Waste Management Facility operating license to EQ Detroit Inc., doing business as US Ecology Detroit South. This license, will allow the facility to continue storing and treating hazardous waste in containers and tanks. EGLE will host a public informational meeting and a public hearing to receive comments on the draft license. The meeting will provide information about the facility’s application and answer community questions. The deadline for public comment is September 15, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.
Facility Location:
1923 Frederick Street, Detroit, Michigan
Register to attend online or join at the start of the informational meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 13, 2025 using this link.
Informational Meeting:
WHEN: Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Wayne State University Innovation Center, 461 Burroughs St., Detroit 48202
Register to attend online or join at the start of the Informational Meeting and Public Hearing scheduled for September 4, 2025 using this link.
Informational Meeting and Public Hearing:
WHEN: Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: Wayne State University Innovation Center, 461 Burroughs St., Detroit 48202
Agenda:
6:00 – 6:20 p.m.: Presentations by EGLE staff
6:20 – 8:00 p.m.: Question and answer period/hearing to following immediately after
How to Submit Comments:
You can email EGLE-MMD-HWS@Michigan.gov or send mail to:
EGLE, Materials Management Division
Attn: Tianna Kilgore
P.O. Box 30241
Lansing, MI 48909-7741
Save on Higher Education with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship
With a new school year right around the corner, learn more about how you can save money on the cost of higher education with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship!
Recognizing the vital role colleges play in shaping the future of our state, my colleagues and I worked to expand the Michigan Achievement Scholarship (MAS) program and create the “Community College Guarantee.” This scholarship is available to most graduating high school seniors and incoming college freshmen this year.
Under the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, students can receive:
- Up to $2,750 annually if they enroll in a Michigan community college, for up to three years.
- Up to $4,000 annually if they enroll in a Michigan private college or university, for up to five years.
- Up to $5,500 annually if they enroll in a Michigan public university or a baccalaureate degree program at a Michigan community college, for up to five years.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you or your student can take advantage of the scholarship, the Michigan Dept. of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) is hosting a series of informational webinars that will give an overview of the scholarship, eligibility requirements, award amounts, and more. You can find a date that works with your schedule and register here.
Michiganders Feeling Economic Relief from New Unemployment Law
Nearly 48,000 Michiganders are receiving retroactive unemployment payments thanks to legislation my Senate Democratic colleagues and I secured last legislative session to strengthen our state’s benefits for workers trying to make ends meet. Signed into law in December, this new law raised the maximum weekly unemployment benefit from $362 to $466 starting on April 1 of this year and is set to continue incremental increases up to $614 in Jan. 2027. Our comprehensive bill package also restored the maximum number of weeks claimants could access benefits from 20 to 26, among other long overdue benefit changes.
Totaling $34 million, the back payments were issued after a thorough review by the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA). Claimants should check their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account for a Monetary Redetermination Letter; they will also receive a copy of the letter mailed to the address listed on their account. Learn more here.