MICHIGAN CITY — Aiming to make the federal government carbon neutral by 2050, the Biden administration is investing billions of dollars in renewable energy projects nationwide. Beverly Mack-Martin wants to ensure this historic investment benefits the populations most impacted by decades of industrial pollution.
That's why Mack-Martin and three other organizers founded the Midwest Minority Consortium for Alternative Energy Solutions, a nonprofit organization that seeks to diversify the renewable energy workforce through community education and job training.
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Beverly Mack-Martin of Michigan City is working with three other organizers to bring the “Midwest Minority Consortium for Alternative Energy Solutions, a nonprofit organization that provides education and job training to prepare people for the alternative energy workforce. Mack-Martin also recently joined the Michigan City Sustainability Commission.
Molly DeVore, The Times
“When we have a large company saying, 'We have 2,000 jobs for solar panel installers, but you BIPOC people don't have anyone trained to do that,' that's another door closing,” Mack-Martin explained.
Throughout American history, polluting industries have disproportionately harmed low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.
Northwest Indiana's census tracts with the highest levels of air pollution had 60% non-white populations, according to a Guardian analysis from the University of Washington and Virginia Tech published in March. Looking at the country as a whole, African Americans are 75% more likely than whites to live near commercial establishments that cause noise, odors, traffic or air emissions, according to a Princeton University study.
In Mack-Martin's native Michigan City, environmental activists are fighting for a “clean closure” of Northern Indiana Public Service Co.'s Michigan City Power Plant. NIPSCO announced plans to decommission the plant in 2018; a project that will cost approximately $40 million. Residents want NIPSCO to remove all old coal ash remaining at the site. Coal ash is the material left over after coal is burned to produce electricity.
The coal-fired power plant has stood on the shores of Lake Michigan since 1931. While researching the plant and surveying residents, Mack-Martin discovered that the power plant was originally planned for the neighboring town of Trail Creek. However, residents fought against it and instead it was built on the west side of Michigan City. Trail Creek's population is approximately 6.7% African American. In comparison, about 40% of residents living within a mile of the Michigan City Power Plant are African American.
When the power plant was built, the focus was on all the jobs it would bring. Mack-Martin said her resident surveys revealed there was no discussion about the health effects that exposure to coal ash can have. According to the EPA, coal ash contains pollutants such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic that can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water and the air.
As Mack-Martin became more committed to a clean shutdown in Michigan City, the Minority Energy Consortium idea began to take hold. Mack-Martin became even more motivated after serving as a consultant for the Michigan City NAACP's Soul Power solar installer training program.
“I thought, well, I agree with the NAACP: If they (NIPSCO) want to close this power plant and go from coal to solar, why wouldn't they hire the people who actually live there? “It just made sense to me…they had promised all these jobs from the start, and now that this turned out to be something that didn't really benefit the community…” Why not look at that as the next step (attitude of residents for solar jobs)? In fact, let’s look at this across all alternative energy transitions.”
Shortly after taking office, President Biden set a goal that 40% of the total benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and burdened by pollution. Called the “Justice40” initiative, federal funding will be distributed through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the American Rescue Plan and more. These bills will fund things like Superfund cleanup efforts, installing electric vehicle charging stations, replacing lead pipes, home solar programs and more.
Before these projects can begin, Mack-Martin said local communities need to ensure they are up to date on all current information and have a diverse, prepared workforce.
While the solar energy industry is growing rapidly, only about 8% of the solar workforce in 2020 was African American, according to the Solar Energy Industries Foundation. About 30% of the solar workforce was female.
Mack-Martin is all too familiar with being one of the few black women in a field dominated by white men.
Break down barriers
Although her background is in therapeutic program design and public administration, Mack-Martin decided a few years ago that she wanted to start flipping houses.
After “watching a little too much HGTV,” Mack-Martin decided to move from Michigan City to Indianapolis to pursue real estate investing and general contracting.
However, breaking into the contracting field as a black woman without experience proved difficult.
“As soon as I started trying, doors were slammed in my face,” Mack-Martin said. She struggled to get insurance, bonds and a contractor's license. “You need experience to get experience.”
Eventually, she joined a group of women in real estate through the Central Indiana Real Estate Investors Association, took a general contractor class, and was able to start her own business. She learned the skills she needed in the workplace, assembled a team of specialists and got to work. Now Mack-Martin has a construction team in both Indianapolis and Michigan City.
It was her experience entering the contracting and real estate industry that inspired the Minority Energy Consortium. As the green economy continues to grow, Mack-Martin wants to ensure everyone can participate, regardless of their experience level.
For the past few months, Mack-Martin has been traveling around the Midwest studying various renewable energy projects. She has researched solar, hydrogen, biomass, wind and geothermal energy and assembled a group of organizers that includes an engineer, a journeyman carpenter and a business economist.
Mack-Martin said a pilot education and training program will initially be launched in Indianapolis, and eventually the consortium will conduct community education and training in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
Mack-Martin has already identified a number of partner organizations in Indianapolis, including youth groups and programs that help people re-enter after incarceration.
On November 16, the consortium officially received its nonprofit 501c3 status. Mack-Martin said the team and its eight-member steering committee will now be able to apply for funding through Justice40.
For more information about the Midwest Minority Energy Consortium, contact Mack-Martin at [email protected].
PHOTOS: Environmentalists deliver petition to EPA offices demanding more oversight of coal ash cleanup
Petition for a just transition
About 20 people attended the event in downtown Chicago.
Molly DeVore, The Times
Petition for a just transition
The petition had almost 2,000 signatures.
Molly DeVore, The Times
Petition for a just transition
Susan Thomas of Just Transition NWI said that “a quiet disaster is brewing on the shores of Lake Michigan.”
Molly DeVore, The Times
Just Transition Petition.
The group marched to EPA Region 5 headquarters.
Molly DeVore, The Times
Just Transition Petition.
A group of about 20 environmental activists delivered a petition to EPA Region 5 headquarters in Chicago on Thursday. The petition calls for greater EPA oversight of coal ash pond cleanup.
Molly DeVore, The Times
Petition for a just transition
State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City, attended Thursday's EPA meeting in Chicago. Boy has introduced legislation that would tighten restrictions on coal ash disposal. Boy said the last two bills she introduced were never heard in committee, but she plans to try again this session.
Molly DeVore, The Times
Just Transition Petition.
Ashley Williams of Just Transition NWI presents a jar of coal ash during the meeting.
Molly DeVore, The Times
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