The Electrification Coalition is working to accelerate the adoption of electric trucks and buses in Michigan.
We need you to join the call for cleaner air, good American manufacturing jobs, energy independence, strengthened national security, and climate protection. Take action to help Michigan go electric today.
Write a Letter to the Editor of Your Newspaper
Letters to the editor are an effective way to get the attention of your elected leaders and ensure that they understand your views and priorities. Letters should be short and concise, generally about 200 words (two or three short paragraphs). But some newspapers have specific limits. See the samples below to get started.
Michigan Newspaper Contacts
Many of the state’s largest and most influential newspapers are listed below. Write to the one that you read regularly or that’s closest to the geographic area you live in.
- Detroit News: Submit your letter via online form.
- Detroit Free Press: Submit via online form. Max length: 150 words.
- Flint Journal: Email to flletters@mlive.com. See the instructions on the LTE page.
- Kalamazoo Gazette: Email letter and contact info to kzletters@mlive.com.
- Grand Rapids Press: Email letter and contact info to grletters@mlive.com.
- Muskegon Chronicle: Email letter and contact info to muletters@mlive.com.
- Lansing State Journal: Submit via online form. Max length: 175 words.
- Oakland Press: Submit via online form. Max length: 250 words.
- Macomb Daily: Submit via online form. Max length: 250 words.
- Traverse City Record-Eagle: Submit via online form. Max length 200 words.
Sample Letters to the Editor
Use the sample letters below to get started on your letter to the editor. Feel free to modify the wording and add two or three sentences about your personal experiences or concerns. Remember to adhere to the newspaper’s word limit, and include your contact info (this will not be printed with your letter).
Sample 1: Air Quality, Economic Opportunity, Energy Security, and Climate
Dear Editor,
I strongly urge Gov. Whitmer to accelerate the electrification of transportation in Michigan. Increased deployment and adoption of electric vehicles, including trucks, school buses and transit buses, will create economic opportunities for Michiganders, improve air quality, strengthen our energy security and slow climate change.
To ensure that Michigan does not miss out on the many benefits of electrification, Gov. Whitmer should join with the 15 other states that have pledged to electrify medium- and heavy-duty vehicles over the next three decades. We should ensure that at least 30 percent of all new trucks and buses sold in Michigan will be zero-emission vehicles by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050.
Personalized closing sentence, e.g.:
- Let’s put Michigan on the right path for a strong economy, clean air and a bright future.
- As a parent of two young children, this issue is extremely important to me. We have a limited window of time to do the right thing, and our kids’ future is riding on it.
- Small businesses like mine support a strong plan to electrify transportation in Michigan.
Sincerely,
Name
Physical Address
Phone
Email
Sample 2: Ford F-150 Lightning
Dear Editor,
Ford’s unveiling of the F-150 Lightning is a true turning point for transportation in our country. Michigan’s best-selling vehicle is going electric, opening the door to clean air, energy independence, good American jobs and increased energy security. Furthermore, it demonstrates that electric vehicles have truly arrived. Now is the time for us to begin reaping the benefits of this superior technology, from consumer vehicles all the way up to the largest trucks and buses.
I urge Gov. Whitmer to sign the Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Memorandum of Understanding, which would require all trucks and buses sold in Michigan to be zero emission vehicles by 2050.
Personalized closing sentence, e.g.:
- Let’s put Michigan on the right path for a strong economy, clean air and a bright future.
- We have a limited window to do the right thing, and our kids’ future is riding on it.
- My business, my customers and future generations of Michiganders are depending on Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing.
- Small businesses like mine support a strong plan to electrify transportation in Michigan.
- I’m asking Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing for the future of Michigan and for my family.
Sincerely,
Name
Physical Address
Phone
Email
Sample 3: Delivery Trucks
Dear Editor,
People are shopping online in record numbers, causing our society to become increasingly dependent on freight trucks. These trucks transport a wide variety of products, from clothing to books to groceries, right to our front doors. It troubles me that these vehicles, which are nearly all powered by diesel fuel, are harming our air quality, economic stability, national security and climate. And they travel right through our neighborhoods every day.
I urge Gov. Whitmer to sign the Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Memorandum of Understanding, which would require all trucks and buses sold in Michigan to be zero emission vehicles by 2050.
Personalized closing sentence, e.g.:
- Let’s put Michigan on the right path for a strong economy, clean air and a bright future.
- We have a limited window to do the right thing, and our kids’ future is riding on it.
- My business, my customers and future generations of Michiganders are depending on Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing.
- Small businesses like mine support a strong plan to electrify transportation in Michigan.
- I’m asking Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing for the future of Michigan and for my family.
Sincerely,
Name
Physical Address
Phone
Email
Sample 4: Air Quality and Climate
Dear Editor,
I’m extremely concerned about the impacts that diesel trucks and buses have on the climate and Michigan’s air quality. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles represent approximately 11 percent of the vehicles on the road, but they produce about 29 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions that come from vehicles.
Motor vehicles, especially those used for freight, are also a major source of fine particulate matter, which is linked to significant health problems, including asthma, chronic bronchitis and heart attacks. Long-term exposure is likely to cause lung cancer. Low-income and minority communities are more likely to be located near highways and to suffer these negative health effects.
According to the American Lung Association, widespread adoption of electric vehicles by 2050 would result in an estimated $72 billion per year in health care savings nationally. In Michigan alone, the annual benefits would include $1.7 billion in avoided health-impact costs, 145 premature deaths avoided, 1,837 asthma attacks avoided, and 8,253 lost work days avoided.
I urge Gov. Whitmer to join with the 15 other states that have pledged to require all trucks and buses sold in Michigan to be zero emission vehicles by 2050.
Sincerely,
Name
Physical Address
Phone
Email
Sample 5: Economic Opportunity
Dear Editor,
As a Michigander, I’m increasingly concerned about the slow pace at which our country is deploying electric vehicles. Like it or not, transportation systems across the world are transitioning from petroleum to electricity. China is currently light years ahead of the United States. The Chinese now have immense control over the entire electric vehicle supply chain, from raw materials to batteries, manufacturing, vehicle deployment and adoption.
If we don’t race to catch up, we will almost certainly give up substantial strategic and economic advantages – losses that will be especially painful to Michigan, the home of the American automobile. Gov. Whitmer should take action to protect Michigan’s automotive industry jobs by signing the Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicle MOU, which would require 30 percent of trucks and buses sold in Michigan to be zero emission vehicles by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. If Michigan were to join this agreement, it would signal to manufacturers that Michigan intends to be part of the electric transportation future.
Personalized closing sentence, e.g.:
- Let’s put Michigan on the right path for a strong economy and a bright future.
- Gov. Whitmer needs to make sure Michigan stays in the driver’s seat.
- We have a limited window to do the right thing, and Michigan jobs are riding on it.
- Autoworkers like me support a strong plan to electrify transportation in Michigan.
- My business, my customers and future generations of Michiganders are depending on Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing.
- I’m asking Gov. Whitmer to do the right thing for the future of Michigan.
Sincerely,
Name
Physical Address
Phone
Email
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Learn More
Learn more about the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in Michigan. Check out and share our fact sheet (pdf).