September 5, 2008

Granholm asks Legislature to pass energy package

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today urged the Legislature to pass legislation that will create thousands of new good-paying jobs for Michigan and its citizens by mandating a Renewable Portfolio Standard or RPS that would require 10 percent of the state's energy to come from renewable sources, like wind, by 2015.

"Every day ‘green' manufacturers - companies like Vestas, a world leader in the manufacturing of wind turbines they are making decisions on where to locate, expand and create jobs and every day they are investing billions of dollars in states that have an RPS," Granholm said.  

The governor cited a study by the Renewable Energy Policy Project that found that Michigan is one of four states with the potential to create more than 30,000 new jobs in wind turbine manufacturing alone.

"Renewable energy manufacturing is a perfect fit for Michigan and Michigan workers. We have manufacturing expertise and facilities that can be retrofitted to produce devices like wind turbines quickly," Granholm said.  "We have tremendous research and development expertise in our universities and corporate research centers.  And, we have the strong winds that are needed to generate this clean green energy."

The requirements for a RPS have already been adopted in 26 states, but not yet in Michigan. 

"What we need is an RPS; what we need is a commitment that Michigan will get a percentage of its energy from renewable sources.  And fortunately, it's not too late for us to bring those jobs to Michigan, but time is of the essence."           

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state.  The address is available on the governor's Web site at (www.michigan.gov/gov) for download, together with a clip of the quote above.  The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and vi2a RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.  Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

Radio Address - Renewable Portfolio Standards

September 5, 2008

Full:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov161_Full_247876_7.mp3

Edited:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov161_Edit_247877_7.mp3

Quote:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov161_Quote_247881_7.mp3

Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm. 

This week we ended a painful chapter in Michigan's history.

On Thursday, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick resigned as part of a plea agreement with the Wayne County Prosecutor, just one day after I began a hearing on the Detroit City Council's request that I remove him from office.

This crisis has taken its toll on our state, and made it harder for us to focus on our most important issue-getting the good paying jobs that we need in Michigan. 

In the week ahead we have a great opportunity to take a giant step forward in that important work.

When the Michigan Senate returns to Lansing on Tuesday it can pass a comprehensive energy package that will create thousands of new good-paying jobs for our state and its citizens. 

This legislation - which has already been approved by the State House --would require that by 2015 -- 10 percent of Michigan's energy will come from renewable sources like wind. 

Such requirements and they're known as Renewable Portfolio Standards or RPS for short-those requirements have already been adopted in 26 states, but not yet in Michigan.

And every day "green" manufacturers - companies like Vestas, a world leader in the manufacturing of wind turbines they are making decisions on where to locate, expand and create jobs and every day they are investing billions of dollars in states that have an RPS. 

Renewable energy manufacturing is a perfect fit for Michigan and Michigan workers. 

We have manufacturing expertise and facilities that can be retrofitted to produce devices like wind turbines quickly. 

We have tremendous research and development expertise in our universities and corporate research centers.

And, we have the strong winds that are needed to generate this clean green energy.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that Michigan has one of the best wind resources of any state - making us attractive to wind turbine manufacturers.

A study by the Renewable Energy Policy Project found that Michigan is one of four states with the potential to create more than 30,000 - 30,000 new jobs in wind turbine manufacturing alone.

What we need is an RPS, what we need is a commitment that Michigan will get a percentage of its energy from renewable sources. And fortunately, it's not too late for us to bring those jobs to Michigan, but time is of the essence. 

Senators from both parties have expressed strong support for creating an RPS in Michigan.  But every day that the Senate's leadership delays action on this issue is a day that costs Michigan jobs and makes us ever more vulnerable to rising energy costs.

Because Michigan needs the thousands of new jobs that an RPS will bring-we need the Senate, the full legislature to do its job and pass a Renewable Portfolio Standard in the week ahead.

Thank you for listening.

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