Will Macheel, a MA in Public Policy student at Harris Public Policy, worked with Prof. Mark Templeton at the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic (AELC) on intervening in electric utility cases before the Michigan Public Service Commission on behalf of local community organizations representing low-income and environmental justice communities. In collaboration with a team of clinic faculty, law students, and an undergraduate research assistant supervised by Will, he helped draft case testimonies and briefs that included research on electricity reliability, affordability, clean energy.
“The opportunity to research a case, collaborate with clinic practitioners and outside organizations, and come to an agreement on a policy recommendation was a highlight of my time with the AELC and one that I will build off of in my time post-Harris, particularly in roles that have a high demand for project management and stakeholder engagement. If I continue in the energy policy field post-Harris, this experience will be invaluable to understanding how public utility commissions function and the key actors typically involved in utility cases. I also came away from this experience with additional knowledge about the current issues facing utilities, commissions, and stakeholders such as the clients we served. Some of these topics include electricity reliability, affordability, clean energy, and utility finance.”