EXECUTIVE ORDER No 2026-6 Declaration of a State of Energy Emergency
Key claim: Michigan Governor declared a State of Energy Emergency due to flooding in Northern Michigan that damaged infrastructure and disrupted fuel delivery to the eastern Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, necessitating temporary relief from motor carrier regulations.
Abstract
EXECUTIVE ORDER No 2026-6 Declaration of a State of Energy Emergency News State Orders and Directives April 14, 2026 In recent weeks, Northern Michigan has experienced heavy precipitation combined with rapid snowmelt, resulting in widespread flooding, elevated river levels, and saturated ground conditions that have significantly impacted critical infrastructure and essential services throughout the region. These conditions have caused damage to homes, roads, and public facilities, disrupted transportation and emergency response operations, and created heightened risks to public safety. In particular, the increased water flows and sustained high water levels have placed substantial stress on key water-control infrastructure, including the Cheboygan Dam, raising concerns about its continued safe operation and the potential for further downstream impacts. I have already issued EO 2026-5 declaring a state of emergency for Cheboygan County in response to this threat. The U.S. Energy Cheboygan petroleum terminal is located near the mouth of the Cheboygan River and is downstream of the Lock and Dam Complex and receives fuel shipments by barge from Wisconsin through the Great Lakes. The Cheboygan terminal is a critical facility for delivering gasoline and diesel fuel to the eastern Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. Due to the ongoing weather conditions, rising water, and potential for dangerous debris, the terminal owner has voluntarily delayed barge delivery to ensure worker safety and protect the environment. It is expected that fuel transport drivers will need to travel much further distances to secure gasoline and diesel fuel loads, as well as face delays if terminals become overburdened. As a result, many drivers may reach maximum daily or weekly driving and on-duty limits, which are set by federal and state law in 49 CFR Part 395, and adopted in the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1963, 1963 PA 181, MCL 480.11, et seq. These emergency conditions have created an urgent need for the timely transportation of petroleum fuels, utility restoration materials, emergency equipment, and other essential supplies necessary to support response and recovery operations statewide. Additional measures, including temporary relief from certain motor carrier regulations, are necessary to ensure the efficient movement of these resources, support first responders and utility crews, protect public health and safety, and mitigate the risk of further harm to people and prope
Why this matters
Executive orders declaring an Energy Emergency demonstrate how Michigan’s existing emergency powers translate into concrete regulatory relief for fuel distribution during infrastructure disruptions, directly affecting fuel availability for ratepayers and motor carriers in affected regions. The order also creates the factual predicate that pending legislation (SB 1043) would use to activate anti-price-gouging protections for energy products, illustrating the operational link between emergency declarations and consumer-protection mechanisms.