Environment

Clean land, water and air are essential to human life and health. DTE Energy is committed to environmental stewardship and protecting natural resources.

DTE Energy facilities are home to hundreds of species of wildlife — some endangered or threatened. We are helping protect and preserve their populations by providing a suitable and livable habitat.

DTE biologists are helping restore the fish population by contributing their time and expertise to support reef construction projects designed to facilitate fish spawning.

Our pollution prevention programs help minimize impacts and conserve resources by reducing the volume of waste that would otherwise go to landfills for disposal.

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Air Quality

We continue to invest in emission reductions to meet increasingly stringent air quality requirements, spending $2.4 billion through 2016 to comply with federal regulations. DTE has completed installation of state-of-the-art emission controls at the Monroe Power Plant, our largest generating plant and fourth largest coal-fired plant in the country.

How we reduce toxins >

Habitat and Biodiversity

DTE is one of the largest landowners in Michigan. We maintain thousands of acres of land in its natural state providing habitat for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, fish and insects.

We have 36 sites certified under the Wildlife Habitat Council — a nonprofit organization helping companies manage their property for the benefit of wildlife.

Environmental Stewardship

Habitat and Biodiversity

DTE is one of the largest landowners in Michigan. We maintain thousands of acres of land in its natural state providing habitat for hundreds of species of birds, mammals, fish and insects.

We have 36 sites certified under the Wildlife Habitat Council — a nonprofit organization helping companies manage their property for the benefit of wildlife.

Environmental Stewardship

Recycling

We accept old appliances for recycling when customers purchase new, more efficient models. In 2016, DTE customers recycled more than 37,000 appliances, saving nearly 38,000 megawatt hours of electricity.

Pollution Prevention >

DTE Recycling Totals

Waste

Our Fermi 2 Power Plant has on-site facilities for the management, processing and temporary storage of radioactive waste materials. Water provides a natural radiation barrier and cooling for the used fuel. After seven years in the pool, waste can be moved into large concrete/steel storage containers.

Gypsum

Ash

Our largest waste and recycling stream is coal combustion residuals — flyash and gypsum. We recycled 100 percent of our gypsum generated at our Monroe Power Plant.

Storing Nuclear Waste >

Remediation

In the 1940s and '50s, manufactured gas produced from coal and oil was used for lighting, cooking and heating. Natural gas eventually replaced manufactured gas and manufactured gas plants (MGPs) were shut down.

Today, DTE Gas is responsible for a total of 16 MGPs throughout Michigan. Full remediation and closure has been achieved at nine sites, allowing the properties to be developed for a variety of uses.

Sites we manage >

Water

Lake and river water cool our thermal electric power plants. Once used, water is returned to Michigan's surface waters. In 2016, DTE Energy facilities in Michigan withdrew approximately 1.08 trillion gallons of surface water. These thermal discharges have not been found to adversely affect aquatic ecosystems.

Protecting Our Waterways >