JENNERATIONX
Clean Coal = Michigan Jobs
“Put us to work,” was the chant heard in Lansing on October 6th, 2009 when a bus load of Rogers City activists joined a rally on the steps and the lawn of the capitol. Mayor Beach Hall spoke at the rally .
The Advance writes, “The Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council and Protect Michigan, a coalition of the state’s major labor organizations, organized the rally with the support of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Manufacturers Association, and other members of the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition.”
ROGERS CITY mayor Beach Hall, the only speaker from the lakefront town, told the audience of the “overwhelming support” the Wolverine Clean Energy Venture has received, including a “Welcome” ad in the Advance from businesses and individuals, 3,500 petition signatures “in a town of 3,300” and 400 yard signs.
Citing the economic well-being of the region and the future power needs of the state, Hall urged Gov. Jennifer Granholm and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) “to hurry up and approve Wolverine’s air quality permit so people can be put to work now,” Hall said in his speech.
“For Rogers City and the northeast Michigan counties of Presque Isle, Alpena, Cheboygan and Montmorency, a billion dollar project in northeast Michigan is huge. The possibility of up to 1,700 construction jobs for several years is huge. The possibility of over 500 direct and in-direct permanent jobs, including over 200 jobs supplying biomass for the plant is huge, anywhere, but especially in northeast Michigan.” Hall said local and state tax revenue from the project would increase at no cost to the state.
You can read the entire story here, I was not able to be at the rally, but after reading about it, I realized that it is such a significant picture.
The fact that in the most economically depressed state in the Nation, that a town of 3500 has to mobilize and picket the capitol just to get jobs. It’s sad really.
The Advance reports on an interesting poll, “Seventy-four percent of voters say they support Consumers Energy’s plan, while 72 percent said they would support Wolverine’s project. While the strongest support for these new power plants comes from the regions where they would be located, they receive robust support from all areas of the state.”
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
Follow Me On The Web!
