Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition Commends Michigan House for Action on Energy Policy...

Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition Commends Michigan House for Action on
Energy Policy Reform Package
Package will help create jobs and encourage investment in Michigan

LANSING, Mich., April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Michigan Jobs and
Energy Coalition commended the Michigan House for its strong vote today in
favor of a comprehensive energy policy that will help create jobs and
encourage significant investments in the state's energy infrastructure.
The House approved the main bill in the package on a 78-30 bipartisan
vote. That bill, HB5524, now goes to the state Senate for action.
Members of the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition praised the House action
as a major step forward for the reform needed to help make sure the state has
reliable and affordable energy to meet its future power needs. They pointed
out the energy policy reform package will bring immediate benefits to the
state's economy and create jobs by spurring investment in broad array of
energy projects, including energy efficiency, expanding renewable energy
sources, new power plants, and more.
Rich Studley, executive vice president of the Michigan Chamber of
Commerce, thanked the House members who voted the bill.
"These lawmakers voted for jobs, energy, and economic development, pure
and simple," he said. "Michigan needs comprehensive energy policy reform now
to make sure Michigan's job providers will have the safe, reliable, and
affordable energy they need in the future. We urge the Senate to move forward
promptly on this legislation."
Chuck Hadden, vice president of the Michigan Manufacturers Association,
said comprehensive energy reform is crucial to protecting Michigan's long-term
economic interests.
"This legislation will spur investments in critical energy infrastructure
that will create jobs and improve our economy. It also will help keep power
prices affordable and improve reliability, helping Michigan to attract new
investments and new jobs in the future," he said.
Anthony F. Earley Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of DTE Energy,
described the House approval as an important step to safeguarding Michigan's
energy future and creating jobs.
"The legislation approved today by the House represent the kind of far
sighted policy that will secure energy supplies and jobs in Michigan for
decades to come. I am particularly pleased that the House of Representatives
recognized that a balanced approach that includes new baseload generation,
renewable resources and energy efficiency is vital to our success," Earley
said.
David Joos, the chief executive officer of Consumers Energy, said the
bipartisan House vote came after months of hard work and leadership by key
lawmakers to shape the package and reflected the growing support for forward-
looking energy policy that will create jobs and improve the state's economy.
"There's still a long way to go in the legislative process, but today's
vote is a significant step toward the comprehensive energy policy reform that
Michigan needs to help keep power prices affordable and help ensure reliable
supplies of energy for customers," Joos said.
"The Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition is growing each day because of the
importance of this issue. Two leading business organizations, the Michigan
Chamber of Commerce and the Michigan Manufacturers Association, joined the
coalition on Wednesday and immediately showed their leadership by urging
lawmakers to support this package. They already have helped moved this issue
forward and their leadership will continue to be a critical factor as the
legislative action shifts to the Senate."
Jim Beaubien, representing Protect Michigan, praised the House majority
for recognizing that Michigan can safeguard its energy future and create jobs
by encouraging investments with energy policy reform.
"Even with our struggling economy, customers in Michigan are using more
power every year. It's build or buy to meet that rising demand. We can build
new power plants in Michigan and create thousands of good-paying jobs here or
we can import more and more power from other states and let those states have
the jobs and other major economic benefits," Beaubien said. "The House took a
strong stand today in favor of creating jobs for the people of Michigan and
improving the state's economy."
The members of the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition are Michigan
companies and businesses, leading business groups, organized labor and the
state's two largest utilities, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy. The coalition
was formed to inform and educate the public, lawmakers, and others about the
direct link between creating jobs and comprehensive energy reform.
Protect Michigan is a 100,000-member strong coalition of labor
organization members, business leaders, and energy industry experts formed
during the 1990s to educate Michigan citizens about electric utility
deregulation.
Along with Protect Michigan, the membership of the Michigan Jobs and
Energy Coalition includes: the Utility Workers Union of America Local 223,
the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Bay Future Inc., Harman Corporation, Henry
Ford Community College, the Michigan locals of the International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local
324, Prestige Stamping Inc., R.K. International, the Saginaw County Chamber of
Commerce, Saginaw Future, and the Trademark Commercial Group.
For a full listing of the coalition members and information about the
crucial issue of comprehensive energy policy reform, please visit the
coalition website at: www.michiganjobsandenergy.org .
SOURCE Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition

Kelly Rossman-McKinney, for Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition,
+1-517-487-9320