Proposal 3, a state ballot initiative promoting renewable energy, fizzled out at the polls Tuesday. 36 percent of voters supported the measure, while 64 percent came out against it, according to the Detroit Free Press at 12:27 a.m Wednesday.
Also known as the 25 by 2025 proposal, Prop 3 would have amended the Michigan constitution to mandate a new renewable energy standard for the state's energy utilities. It set a deadline of 2025 to require electric utilities to generate at least 25 percent of their annual retail sales of electricity from renewable energy sources, which include wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.
The renewable energy measure was Michigan's second-most expensive ballot campaign this year after Proposal 2, a collective bargaining amendment. Proposal 3 was backed by a coalition of environmental groups and opposed by big utilities and members of the carbon energy industry.
According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, Prop 3 supporters like the League of Conservation Voters, the American Wind Energy Association and the Green Tech Action Fund contributed over $10 million to the group Michigan Energy, Michigan Jobs to get the amendment passed. The Clean Affordable Renewable Energy (CARE) committee raised more than $23 million from DTE Energy, Consumers Energy and Wolverine Electric to oppose it.
Michigan currently has a law on the books promoting a 10 percent renewable energy standard by 2015.
For all of HuffPost Detroit's coverage of Michigan politics and election news, see the Detroit politics page.
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