Jason Hayes is the director of Environmental Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, MI. He leads a broad research program that covers a mix of electricity regulation and energy policy, as well as forest, water, wildlife, and environmental policy issues at both the federal and state level. Jason also serves as an adjunct scholar with Northwood’s McNair Center.
Jason has focused on energy and environmental policy for more than three decades. He has worked as a backcountry ranger and forester in British Columbia’s provincial parks and the northern boreal forest. He co-authored research on National Parks policy and grizzly bear management for Canada’s Fraser Institute. He then spent fifteen years in the North American energy industry, researching and communicating the value of affordable, reliable, safe energy to human well-being.
Jason has authored several research studies for the Mackinac Center and his comment and analysis is regularly featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Hill, National Review Online, Reason Magazine, Detroit News, Daily Caller, and many other media outlets. Jason holds a Master of Environmental Design (Environmental Science) degree from the University of Calgary, a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of British Columbia and a Technical Diploma in Renewable Resource Management from Selkirk College.