June 5, 2007
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today celebrated East Lansing's first E85 ethanol pump at H&H Mobil and urged that the state continue to invest in Michigan citizens and Michigan's economic future.
"Michigan continues to move aggressively to increase the production and use of ethanol and biodiesel fuels, which can have a tremendous impact on decreasing our dependence on foreign oil," Granholm said. "It also can help create jobs and diversify our economy in the future. We're doing this one pump at a time, but this is part of a larger effort that is critical for our environment and our economic future."
Granholm joined with Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Mitch Irwin, Michigan Economic Development Corporation President & CEO James Epolito, the City of East Lansing, the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, and the Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities Coalition to celebrate East Lansing's first E85 pump at H&H Mobil.
"We have a choice," Granholm said. "We can invest in things like alternative energy that can strengthen our 21st century economy, or we can disinvest and drop out of the race for economic success."
The governor stressed today that while the state's budget for 2008 remains unsolved, it can't be solved by taking money away from critical economic development efforts. Granholm said there is no question the budget crisis must be resolved with a comprehensive solution to keep the state's plan for economic revitalization moving forward. Granholm also said that Michigan's investment in alternative energy production and use will benefit consumers in the long-run as increased use of ethanol and biodiesel helps reduce the demand for foreign oil. The governor continues to meet with lawmakers to find a comprehensive solution but said, in the meantime, Michigan cannot fall back economically.
"Companies like H&H Mobil are investing in Michigan because they are confident our state is the right place for them to thrive," Granholm said. "We must take advantage of our rich natural resources, our agriculture sector, and our high concentration of engineering and science talent and make smart decisions that will diversify our economy," Granholm said.
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