Recently, the team and I wrapped up an America’s Power^SM Factuality Tour stop in Bay City, Mich., a great little town right on the edge of Lake Huron.

During our trip, we spent a lot of time talking to locals about a new expansion project at the nearby Consumers Energy Karn/Weadock power plant. Almost everyone we spoke to was excited about the job opportunities it would bring, so we decided to head down to the construction site to check out the project for ourselves.

I learned a lot during my visit to the plant, but two things stuck out at me the most. First of all, there’s no question in my mind that Consumers Energy takes protecting the environment very seriously.

At the beginning of the tour, I met up with Dennis Dobbs, site manager of Karn/Weadock. He showed me the layout of the new 830-megawatt facility and told me that most of the buildings around the unit would mainly be used for emissions-control technologies. He also reassured me that the older units would be retrofitted with the latest clean coal technologies.

Secondly, I was impressed by the company’s efforts in preserving and protecting the plant’s natural surroundings. Dobbs took me to the plant’s Wildlife Habitat Area, where – in addition to an eagle’s nest – there’s a raptor rehabilitation center for injured birds.

“Protecting the environment is extremely important to us,” says Dobbs. “We have folks that are dedicated every day that are out here trying to make sure we’re meeting all the regulations and doing things the right way.”

Karn/Weadock’s actions speak even louder than their words. Watch the video above and let us know what you think. And be sure to go to the Factuality Tour Website for more interviews, blog posts and photos from our Bay City trip.