Viewing Grant Proposal: Solartonic_Soulardarity_Community Solar LED Smart Poles and WiFi

Solartonic, a Ypsilanti solar smart pole manufacturer, and Soulardarity, a Highland Park organizer of energy democracy projects, is requesting $2,500,000 to deploy 100 solar smart poles with LED lighting and free public WiFi on 20 Highland Park blocks and City parks. This project, which meets four MI Healthy Climate Plan Goals, will return lighting, improve safety, and expand accessible Internet to 10% of residents left in the dark 13 years ago when the City’s streetlights were repossessed.
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Comments
Comment Date: Comment:
3/5/2024 1:43:22 PM
As the State Representative of Michigan House District 32, I support this proposal. Ypsilanti is ripe for investment! We want to be at the forefront of meeting the goals of the MI Healthy Climate plan.
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4/12/2024 7:59:51 PM
I am writing to express strong support for the MPSC to fund this proposal. As a result of the repossession in 2011, Highland Park has a unique opportunity to model a sustainable and resilient lighting and internet system from the ground. In addition to generating tremendous learnings from this first-of-a-kind project, the MPSC would be supporting an effort that has been organized for by Highland Parkers for over a decade. Highland Park was one of a select set of communities selected to be a part of Communties LEAP and took specific steps to prepare for a new scale of solar lighting through this process. As a longtime energy advocate and Highland Park community member, I strongly support and encourage the MPSC to fund this proposal!
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4/12/2024 8:14:59 PM
I love a couple blocks south of Highland Park. The streets that currently have solar LED lighting are nice and bright. Not only do they help illuminate the neighborhood at night, but they invoke good conversations with young people about engineering. Both are great for revitalizing the community!
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4/12/2024 8:43:21 PM
"I fully support this project as a DTE customer who happens to be disabled. I am all too familiar with the frustration of frequent power outages due to a lack of reliability. Highland Park, as a city and community, could greatly benefit from this initiative. If successful, it could serve as a model for other communities to follow."
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4/12/2024 9:03:44 PM
I strongly support this initiative given that the project will support climate and energy justice in an equitable manner that benefits the community of Highland Park
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4/12/2024 10:17:24 PM
As an environmental justice attorney working in metro Detroit, I strongly support this proposal. Soulardarity is a leader in Highland Park to ensure that all people have access to safe, affordable, and consistent energy. This project is a critical step forward to realize their visions of energy democracy and energy justice. This project will make communities safer, increase internet accessibility and take a critical step forward to advance renewable energy and support the states climate goals. I strongly support this proposal and am excited to see the impact that it will have on the Highland Park community.
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