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Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition Commends Michigan House for Action on Energy Policy Reform Package

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 theMichigan 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 protectingMichigan'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, helpingMichigan 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 safeguardingMichigan'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 inMichigan 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, theMichigan 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 thatMichigan can safeguard its energy future and create jobs by encouraging investments with energy policy reform.

"Even with our struggling economy, customers inMichigan are using more power every year. It's build or buy to meet that rising demand. We can build new power plants inMichigan 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 ofMichigan and improving the state's economy."

The members of the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition areMichigan 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.

ProtectMichigan is a 100,000-member strong coalition of labor organization members, business leaders, and energy industry experts formed during the 1990s to educateMichigan 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, theBay Area Chamber of Commerce, Bay Future Inc., Harman Corporation, Henry Ford Community College, theMichigan locals of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324, Prestige Stamping Inc., R.K. International, theSaginaw 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: .

SOURCE Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition