Things have been heating up in Michigan over the past few months, especially here in the Sixth Congressional District. Michiganders are tired of the status quo in Michigan, everything from runaway dirty energy politicians to constant attacks on education funding. Students and communities are not taking it lightly and have been coordinating a fight for our own rights to breath clean air, drink clean water, and to live in healthy, vibrant communities. If you haven’t heard, Congressman Fred Upton, Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee has proposed massive attacks on the EPA, including budget cuts and limitations of their authority to regulate carbon emissions and clean air.
Congressman Upton hasn’t always been this way; historically a moderate and supporter of nuclear energy, elected to represent Michigan’s Sixth District since 1987. Any reputation as a moderate quickly vanished during the 2010 elections when he accepted campaign contributions from Koch Industries and more dirty energy companies than ever. Upton’s constituents are not necessarily going along with this change in views, recent polls of his district by NRDC show nearly 62% of them disagree with his dismantling of the EPA by reducing their enforcement on carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The survey also found 67% of his constituents agree that “Congress should let the EPA do its job”. We won’t stand for it.
In 2007, we swarmed the halls of Congress in our green hard hats and told our elected officials what they needed to hear — youth were calling for a clean and just energy future. In 2009, we wore our green t-shirts (and the hard hats) and participated in the largest lobby day on a single issue in U.S. History. We demanded that they cut carbon emissions and pass strong climate legislation. 
This morning, EPA Administrator (and 
