LANSING – Former President Bill Clinton on Monday said the proposal for a constitutional amendment to increase the state’s renewable energy standard to 25 percent by 2025 would be the state’s best opportunity to jumpstart its economy, according to a statement by proponents.
“Proposal 3 invests in Michigan’s future so that it won’t get left behind by the 30 other states that are already creating new clean energy jobs and lowering consumers’ electricity costs,” Clinton said in the statement. “That’s why I’m so proud to endorse Proposal 3.”
Mark Fisk, spokesperson for Proposal 12-3 proponent group Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs, was obviously pleased to have the former president’s support.
“We are extremely proud President Clinton has endorsed Proposal 3 because it will create 94,000 Michigan jobs, rein in skyrocketing energy costs and reduce dangerous pollution that threatens our Great Lakes and our public health,” he said in the statement. “During his hugely successful presidency and now with the Clinton Global Initiative, President Clinton knows first-hand how clean, renewable energy can create jobs, reduce energy costs and move the economy forward.”
Of the endorsement, Megan Brown, spokesperson for the opposition group Clean Affordable Renewable Energy, said the group is not opposed to renewable energy but it is opposed to locking it in the Constitution.
“As we’ve said time and again, we are all for renewable energy, too,” she said in an e-mail. “But Proposal 3, which locks energy policy into our state’s constitution, something no other state in the country has done, is a costly, reckless mandate that Michigan families and businesses cannot afford.”
OPPOSITION RELEASES ‘LOOPHOLE’ AD: Clean Affordable Renewable Energy recently released an advertisement it calls “Loophole”, alleging that the proposed constitutional amendment to increase the state’s renewable energy standard does not even require wind turbines to be made in Michigan or the United States.
“Have you heard about one of the giant loopholes in Proposal 3?” the ad’s speaker says to dark, clouded screen and a burning paper with the title “Proposal 3” at the top. “It doesn’t even require wind turbines be made in Michigan or even the U.S.”
It goes on to cite an ABC World News report from 2010 that said one U.S. wind farm was supposed to create 2,000 jobs, and asks “Where?” The speaker then answers: “China.”
Mark Fisk, spokesperson for proponents Michigan Energy Michigan jobs, called the ad a lie.
“It’s an outright lie. Our proposal, according to Michigan state university, will create a minimum of 74,000 jobs in construction, operation and maintenance. These are jobs in Michigan,” Fisk said in a phone interview. “By moving Michigan to homegrown Michigan made energy and away from imported coal and oil creates economic activity here in our state as opposed to other states and countries. That’s just common sense.”
Fisk said within the proposal’s language is incentives to hire Michigan workers and use Michigan equipment. Also, he said, the renewable energy facilities would have to be built within the servicing territory, making for at least 95 percent of the facilities to be built in the state.
The ad continues with the opponents’ argument of a $12 billion price tag, higher electric bills for consumers and questions if it will amount to sending jobs to China.
Opponents have also begun to send out mailers advocating against “out-of-state special interests,” no doubt in lieu of its finding that multiple committees, many of which are being funded by groups from Massachusetts to California, are chipping in hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaign.
Proponents have maintained that they are proud of their funding sources regardless, saying that they are bound by a desire to help the state move forward in its renewable energy goals that so many others across the nation have already adopted.
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