No. CMS Energy (aka Consumers Energy) is not saving the planet and other foolishness.

December 7, 2018

Ms. Patricia K. Poppe
President and CEO
CMS Energy Corporation
One Energy Plaza
Jackson, MI 49201

Dear Ms. Poppe:

We are writing as shareholders concerning CMS Energy’s recently released 2018 Climate Assessment Report (CAR). Although we are primarily concerned about CMS Energy’s voluntary commitment to zero-out coal by 2040 ⎯ an issue to be pursued later ⎯ we offer these comments on your CAR.

For a company in business to provide consumers with affordable and reliable energy, the CAR is remarkably frivolous. The notion that “CMS Energy is committed to protecting the planet by reducing greenhouse gases” (CAR, p. 2) is grandiose and misleading. The United Nations just reported that humans emitted 53.5 billion tons of CO2-e greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere in 2017. Even if one believes GHGs adversely impact climate, CMS Energy’s emissions are miniscule and irrelevant. Why would you even issue a climate report in the first place? CMS Energy has no effect on climate.

The statement that, “We would rather be on the right side of history than wait and see how science develops or the climate changes,” is grandiose, dubious and far outside the mission of CMS Energy. You sell electricity. Yet you sound like a radical environmental group.

The CAR repeatedly uses the term “sustainable”/“sustainability” ⎯ a concept that has no meaning or metric. Green hucksters may get away with using such empty and bogus terms, but a publicly-owned and regulated utility ought to avoid meaningless puffery.

We hope you will consider these comments as you consider the climate and coal issues in the future. We intend to engage and challenge you on them.

Sincerely,

/s/

Fredrick D. Palmer
Steven J. Milloy
Managing Directors