Radio Address Highlights Passage of Historic

Energy Package, Growing New Energy Jobs

Governor Granholm to sign energy bills next week

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that on Monday, she will sign into law historic bipartisan energy legislation that she proposed in her 2008 State of the State address that will create jobs, diversify Michigan's economy and ensure clean, affordable energy for Michigan consumers.

"Since becoming governor, I have signed more than 2,400 bills into law.  On Monday, I will sign perhaps the most important legislation to create jobs and diversifyMichigan's economy that has crossed my desk," Granholm said.  "By requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's energy needs come from renewable sources like solar and wind power, this legislation I am about to sign will create jobs and make sure that this growing industry sets up shop in Michigan."

The governor said that renewable energy is the future for Michigan and our nation - and it will protect our pocketbooks and protect the planet from climate change.  She also said that Michigan is a natural fit for the new energy jobs being created right now.

"Our manufacturing history, outstanding universities and bountiful natural resources give us an advantage over most of our competitors," Granholm said.  "This comprehensive energy plan will create all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people."

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.

The Honorable Jennifer M. Granholm

RPS Package Signing

Radio Address

October 3, 2008

Full:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov165_Full_251511_7.mp3

Edited:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov165_Edit_251514_7.mp3

Quote:  http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov165_Quote_251515_7.mp3

This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

Since becoming Governor, I have signed more than 2,400 bills into law. 

On Monday, I will sign perhaps the most important legislation to create jobs and diversify Michigan's economy that has crossed my desk.

By requiring that 10 percent of Michigan's energy needs come from renewable sources like solar and wind power, this legislation that I'm about to sign, will create jobs and make sure that this growing industry sets up shop in Michigan.

No one questions, of course, that renewable energy is the future.   Our nation needs it-both to protect our pocketbooks and to protect the planet from climate change.

And Michigan is a natural fit for the new energy jobs being created right now.  Our manufacturing history, our outstanding universities our bountiful natural resources give us an advantage over most of our competitor states.  In fact, one recent study found that Michigan was one of just four states with the potential to create more than 30,000 jobs, 30,000 jobs- in wind turbine manufacturing alone!

And these jobs will benefit all of us - the young engineer looking to help develop the technologies of tomorrow, or the middle-aged manufacturing worker hurt by downsizing and unfair trade, or the farmer with land to lease for wind turbines, the small business owner who makes energy efficient bulbs or insulation.

This comprehensive energy plan will create all kinds of jobs for all kinds of people.  But without the legislation I will sign on Monday, these jobs will only trickle into our state.  And we intend to create a tidal wave!

In addition to creating new energy jobs for our state, this comprehensive energy plan will also help protect Michigan consumers.

The bill that I'll sign into law requires new energy efficiency measures to help you lower your utility bills; it also has new regulations to ensure that renewable energy technology is less expensive than energy from fossil fuels, like coal, and it includes an income tax credit to help citizens.

Michigan's power plants are aging and will soon need to be replaced.  The cost of new plants combined with the rising cost of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas that we import to generate electricity means higher rates for customers.

So, by taking action now to require our state to transition away from energy produced by coal to renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, energy customers like you will save more than $4 billion over the next 20 years.

This comprehensive energy plan is a great step for our state.  It will create thousands of new jobs and it will provide cleaner, more affordable energy to our citizens. 

It's the future we all want for Michigan.

Thank you for listening.

# # #