#factsmatter, The Citizens Research Council Of Michigan Podcast

Detroit Free Press reporter Arpan Lobo guest hosts the Facts Matter podcast, produced by the Citizens Research Council. Arpan, who recently wrote about Consumers Energy getting the OK to bury power lines in 6 Michigan counties, interviews Citizens Research Council analyst Eric Dennis, who issued a report this time last year about the benefits of undergrounding electrical lines but, that without a coherent state policy to enable it, it will not happen. It’s rarely considered due to cost considerations that assume the utility will bear the full cost. However, as Dennis argues, the cost can be mitigated if undergrounding is done in collaboration with others. Listen to Lobo and Dennis discuss this and how Michigan should pursue policies that facilitate and compel multi-agency ‘dig-once’ project coordination to underground distribution lines.