Neumann demands answers about Wolverine plant delay

State Representative Andy Neumann (D-Alpena) questioned the Michigan Department of Environment Quality’s (DEQ) decision to approve an air permit for a coal-fired plant in Bay City before granting one to a facility near Rogers City in Presque Isle County. The Rogers City facility, proposed by Wolverine Power Cooperative, would create nearly 2,000 jobs for Northern Michigan workers.

“I’m extremely disappointed that once again the Wolverine Power plant is being ignored,” Neumann said. “The Wolverine plant would be cleaner and more efficient than most other plants in the state, if not the world. But this issue goes beyond that. This administration cannot continue to overlook this $2 billion investment that will bring hundreds of good-paying jobs to Michigan workers. The Wolverine Power plant would also bring in millions of new dollars to the state in revenue each year at a time when the state is desperately searching for ways to keep police and firefighters on the street and teachers in our classrooms. Now is a time for leadership, not for politics.”

The Rogers City plant has faced several delays already. The air permit process was put on hold by order of Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, who directed the DEQ in January to deny air emissions permits for coal-fired plants if “feasible and prudent alternatives” exist that better protect the state’s natural resources and to evaluate whether a “reasonable electricity generation need exists” before approving construction of a new plant.

The directive was overturned by the Attorney General, who ruled that the Governor exceeded her authority by essential

ly drafting new regulations without the approval of the Legislature.

Wolverine Power plans to build a 600-megawatt Clean Energy Venture power plant that would use cutting-edge clean energy technology ? carbon capture and sequestration ? to make it one of the cleanest coal plants in the world. Construction of the facility would create 1,800 good-paying jobs for workers. An additional 100 employees would be hired to operate the plant. The plant has already received a $2.7 million grant from the United States Department of Energy for phase one of the project but cannot move forward without approval from the DEQ.

“It is truly laughable that the state even has an air quality permit process when they are so apt to ignore both science and their own standards and continually delay approving this permit,” Neumann said. “By the state’s own standards the Wolverine Power plant should have been issued its permit months ago, yet the administration continues to kowtow to special interests and delay the approval of this plant. As Michigan looks to attract more jobs to this state, I am afraid this administration’s handling of Wolverine Power suggests that Michigan is closed for business.”

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