June 18, 2010
In radio address, governor voices support for national comprehensive energy policy
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that in the wake of the Gulf oil spill, Congress needs to pass a comprehensive energy bill this year that will begin moving the United States toward a clean-energy economy.
"A comprehensive energy policy is a critical national need," Granholm said. "It can steer this country to energy independence, enhance our national security and generate badly needed jobs."
Electric vehicles are one component of a clean-energy economy. The governor said that just since last August, 16 companies in the advanced-battery and electric-vehicle industries have begun operations in Michigan and are projected to create 62,000 jobs in the next decade.
"We really are on the cusp of something huge here," Granholm said. "But comprehensive and aggressive federal energy legislation is necessary to keep this momentum going. So here are a couple of things we need from Washington.
"First, we need further co-investment by the federal government and private sector in research and development of electric-vehicle technology, especially batteries," Granholm said. "This is what other countries are doing to make their companies competitive, and the U.S. has to do it too.
"Second, electric vehicles have to be affordable to consumers," Granholm continued. "And therefore, we need continued financial incentives for people to buy electric vehicles. So now there is a $7,500 tax credit if you buy a plug-in electric vehicle like the Chevrolet Volt. Once the demand for electric vehicles increases and the industry scales up, production costs will come down, and we can phase out the tax credits.
"The Gulf disaster is our wake-up call to move to a clean-energy economy," Granholm said. "By producing our own energy here at home, we'll create millions of jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and enhance our national security. Energy independence is an issue of American patriotism, and it's time to rally around clean energy."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available for download on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/govtogether with a clip of the quote above. The radio address also is available as a podcast on the Web site as well as on iTunes and via 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 - Electric Vehicles
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov254Full_325106_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov254Edit_325107_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov254Quote_325109_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
As President Obama continues fighting to stop millions of gallons of crude oil from spewing daily into Gulf Coast waters, we also need to stanch the outflow of American dollars for foreign oil.
Every day, America spends a billion dollars on foreign oil. A billion dollars a day, and much of it is going to countries hostile to American interests.
Perhaps the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history will finally convince the American people and Congress that we need passage of a comprehensive energy bill this year that will begin weaning us from oil and moving us toward a clean-energy economy.
A comprehensive energy policy is a critical national need. It can steer this country to energy independence, it can enhance our national security, and it'll generate badly needed jobs. In fact, economists estimate that $12 trillion will be spent over the next couple of decades on clean-energy solutions, generating millions of jobs.
And here in Michigan, one clean-energy sector that we're building is advanced batteries for electric vehicles. Since last August, fueled by $1.35 billion in federal Department of Energy grants, 16 companies representing the entire advanced-battery and electric-vehicle supply chain -16 companies - have begun operations in Michigan. And these 16 companies are projected to create 62,000 jobs in the next decade.
Before last August, advanced batteries were being manufactured only in Asia. And now we are making them in Michigan.
We really are on the cusp of something huge here. But comprehensive and aggressive federal energy legislation is necessary to keep this momentum going. So here are a couple of things we need from Washington.
First, we need further co-investment by the federal government and private sectors in research and development of electric-vehicle technology, especially batteries. This is what other countries are doing to make their companies competitive, and the U.S. has to do it too.
Second, electric vehicles have to be affordable to consumers. And therefore, we need continued financial incentives for people to buy electric vehicles. So now there is a $7,500 tax credit if you buy a plug-in electric vehicle like the Chevrolet Volt. Once the demand for electric vehicles increases and the industry scales up, production costs will come down, and we can phase out the tax credits.
The Gulf disaster is our wake-up call to move to a clean-energy economy. By producing our own energy here at home, we will create millions of jobs, we will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and therefore, we will enhance our national security. Energy independence is an issue of American patriotism, and it's time to rally around clean energy.
Thank you for listening.
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