Environmental Health
A safe and healthy environment is a key component of a happy, healthy, and productive city. For decades, Dearborn residents have faced problems like heat islands, air and water pollution, and flooding–problems that have disproportionately impacted certain parts of our city and are poised to worsen as we continue to face the effects of climate change. Environmental health policy and action seeks to address issues as well as the underlying policies that produce them.
Climate Change and Dearborn
Climate change, or global warming, is the long-term change to typical weather patterns as a result of human activities, like emitting greenhouse gasses (such as carbon dioxide or methane) as a result of using fuels like coal or natural gas. Over the past century, we have seen changes to temperatures, and therefore weather patterns, that cannot be explained by natural phenomena alone (like ocean patterns or changes in the sun’s emissions) but can be explained by how and where humans emit greenhouse gasses. The fact that humans are causing climate change is the scientific consensus, agreed upon by over 90% of climate scientists.
We know that climate change is already making big impacts on the world. But how is it impacting us here in Dearborn? Learn more about how climate change is raising costs, hurting small businesses, and harming public health; or, learn more about our work to tackle climate change and protect environmental health and how you can get involved.
Learn MoreAddressing Fugitive Dust
The City of Dearborn will now mandate some of the strictest guidelines in the state of Michigan for the proper storage of industrial materials that most commonly produce hazardous fugitive dust. The Dearborn City Council unanimously voted in support of an amendment to the City’s bulk storage ordinance brought forward by Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud.
The amended ordinance creates minimum standards for the safe handling and storage of bulk solid materials, which includes any solid substance or material that can be used as a fuel, ingredient, or component in a manufacturing or construction process that may create fugitive dust. You can learn more by reading the Bulk Storage Ordinance Fact Sheet.
Dearborn's Economic Development Department administers the annual certification of affected facilities and ordinance enforcement.
These standards include but are not limited to:
- - Prohibiting any fugitive dust past the property line
- - Limiting pile height for outdoor storage to 25 ft. (15 ft. for combustible materials)
- - Requiring enclosure of "carbonaceous bulk solid materials”, solid substances that can occur naturally or are human-made and are rich in carbon
- - Mandatory monitoring and reporting by bulk storage facilities and routine required inspections by the City.
Air Quality
The Dearborn Department of Public Health is working with JustAir, a Michigan-based startup, to operate 10 air quality monitors across the city, providing real-time, publicly-available air quality information. You can view the monitors on the public JustAir dashboard here (select Dearborn from the dropdown menu).
Click here to sign up for air quality alerts in Dearborn
Flood Mitigation and Green Storm Infrastructure
As the frequency and intensity of severe storms continues to increase due to climate change, so does the risk of flooding. These resources can help you decrease the risk and impact of flooding in your neighborhood and know what to do when flooding comes.
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Trees and Urban Forestry
Trees are a critical part of our city’s infrastructure, filtering air and water, decreasing summer temperatures, reducing energy bills, improving mental health, and calming traffic. Learn more about what the city is doing to care for this resource and what you can do.
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Solar in Dearborn
As energy costs continue to rise, solar panels can be an effective way to decrease your energy bills and carbon emissions. This page is meant to guide home- and business-owners through the process of installing solar panels and remove some of the guesswork from the process. These installations are a large investment–sometimes exceeding tens of thousands of dollars–so it is critical that you make an informed decision.
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Energy Efficiency Resources
Whether you’re a homeowner, non-profit, renter, or business, resources exist to help you identify, implement, and fund energy efficiency resources that will save you money and fight climate change.
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