RELEASE: Governor Whitmer Celebrates Senate Passage of Clean Energy Package

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE?

October 26, 2023?

Governor Whitmer Celebrates Senate Passage of Clean Energy Package

Legislation called for in What?s Next Address will lower costs, create jobs, protect air, water, and health while facing climate change head on and making Michigan a national leader

LANSING, Mich. ?Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after Senate passage of the clean energy legislative package that will lower costs, create jobs, shore up energy independence, and help Michigan face climate change as a national leader.?

?This clean energy package is a big deal for Michigan families, Michigan workers, and Michigan?s economy.?

?These bills will balance reliability and affordability and help us protect our air and our water and improve public health. They will help us bring home more cutting-edge manufacturing investments so we can make solar panels, wind turbines, and more right here in Michigan, supporting good-paying jobs, high-skill jobs that are a ticket to the middle class. And they will make Michigan a national leader in clean energy, shoring up our position as the best place to start your family, your career, or your business.

?I am grateful to the Senate for taking the first step. I look forward to the House taking action on these bills and other legislation that accelerates the deployment of clean energy soon so we can get this done. As I said in my What?s Next Address, let?s keep our foot on the accelerator and build a brighter future for Michigan.?

Michigan?s Clean Energy Leadership & Opportunity

Earlier this year, 5 Lakes Energy released a report on the clean energy package. The report found that in addition to saving Michigan households an average of $145 a year in energy costs, policies like the ones in the package and would help secure $7.8 billion more in federal investment from President Biden?s Inflation Reduction Act and create nearly 160,000 jobs.?

The 2023 Clean Jobs America Report stated that clean energy businesses in Michigan added more than 5,400 workers in 2022 and now employ 123,983 Michiganders. Michigan now leads the Midwest in number of clean energy workers.

Michiganders support clean energy. The 100 percent clean energy is popular. In a poll Evergreen released in April with Data for Progress, 65 percent of voters supported legislation to transition the state?s energy grid to 100 percent clean energy and 73 percent want the Legislature to do more to keep energy bills affordable.

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