From: Whipple, Deb (GOV)
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 5:07 PM
Subject: What the governor is talking about today
What the Governor’s Talking about Today
Thursday, April 29, 2010
 
Governor Announces Canadian Offer to Cover Michigan Costs of Detroit River International Crossing Bridge
The governor today announced that the Canadian government has offered to cover Michigan’s costs of the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge up to $550 million.  Michigan would repay Canada with toll revenues from the bridge.
 
The DRIC will connect I-75 in Detroit with Highway 401 in Windsor, the busiest international trade corridor in the world.
 
Given Michigan’s budget problems, finding funds to cover Michigan’s construction costs for the DRIC was a potential roadblock to approval of the project by the state legislature.  The Canadian offer eliminates that roadblock.
 
The governor said the Canadian offer is “an enormous gift to our citizens” that will create 10,000 construction jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs during the construction period for Michigan workers.
 
The financial arrangement offered by the Canadian government is not unusual.  Canada and Michigan had reverse roles in the construction of the Blue Water Bridge in the 1930s.  Michigan paid for the Blue Water Bridge and was repaid by Canada through toll revenue.
 
Key messages:
 
•  This project is all about jobs for Michigan workers.  The DRIC will create 10,000 construction jobs for Michigan workers, generate an additional 30,000 indirect jobs during the construction period and support the 220,000 Michigan jobs related to trade with Canada.
 
•  The DRIC will enhance trade and tourism between Michigan and Canada, and bring long-term job benefits.  Michigan could retain or create as many as 25,000 permanent jobs by 2035, mostly in manufacturing and related sectors.
 
•  Canada is Michigan’s top trading partner.  Fifty-eight percent of all Michigan trade is with Canada.  In 2009, this totaled $43.8 billion.
 
•  Canada’s offer to pick up Michigan’s costs for the DRIC doesn’t mean Canada will have sole control of the bridge.  Governance of the bridge will be 50-50.
 
Governor Speaking Tonight at Michigan Celebrates Small Business Awards Event
 
The governor is speaking this evening in Lansing at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards event that celebrates small business excellence and the importance of small business success to Michigan’s economy.
 
The event highlights more than 60 small businesses that have helped build Michigan’s economy in 2009.  More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.
 
Award categories include the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, and the U.S. Small Business Administration of Michigan Small Business Awards.
 
Key messages:
 
•  We’re thrilled to celebrate the success of these Michigan small and medium-sized businesses that are vital sources of innovation and job creation in Michigan.
 
•  Helping these businesses grow at every stage of development is a critical component of our economic diversification plan.  From the 21st Century Jobs Fund and the Michigan Business One-Stop to the Michigan Small Business Financing Alliance and Small Business Investment Tax credit, we’ve made great progress in helping small businesses grow in Michigan.
 
•  There’s still much we’re working to accomplish before the end of the year, such as legislative passage of a small business investment tax credit.
 
•  To transform Michigan, we have to continue to support entrepreneurship and encourage small business development by providing technical assistance, strong advocacy and targeted resources.  That’s because small businesses are the job-creating engines that drive our economy and are the key to Michigan’s future.
 
Governor Announces Two New Centers of Energy Excellence
 
On Wednesday. the governor and Michigan Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Greg Main announced two new Centers of Energy Excellence (COEE) designations for wind manufacturing companies Energetx Composites and Astraeus Wind Energy.  The COEE program brings companies, academic institutions, national labs and the state together to support cutting-edge research and development and pioneer new energy technology.
 
The Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) board approved a COEE designation and $3.5 million in funding for Energetx Composites, the Holland-based spin-off of S2 Yachts, which will collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Dow Chemical Company to manufacture wind turbine blades with advanced materials. Dow and ORNL will deliver innovative materials and technical expertise to Energetx, and the University of Michigan and Kettering University will contribute workforce training. The project will receive $3.5 million in matching funds from the U.S. Department of Energy.
 
The MSF also approved a COEE designation and $6 million in funding for Astraeus Wind Energy, a cooperative venture between MAG Industrial Automation Systems and Dowding Machining and in collaboration with ORNL and the Dow Chemical Company. The center will be focused on the automated manufacturing of wind turbine blade components using advanced materials. The project will receive $7 million in matching funds from the U.S. Department of Energy.
 
Key messages:
 
•  Michigan is bullish on new energy, especially wind.  We are acting boldly and decisively to be the state that develops the technologies, manufactures the products and creates the green jobs that will make us the new energy manufacturing capital of North America.
 
•  The new projects have the potential to revolutionize the way that wind turbine blades are manufactured, and position Michigan as the center for advanced manufacturing, advanced materials and the supply chain for wind energy systems.
 
•  In total, there are 10 Centers of Energy Excellence.  The others are A123Systems Inc., Adaptive Materials and Sakti3 in Ann Arbor; Working Bugs LLC in East Lansing; American Process Inc. in Alpena; Swedish Biogas International in Flint; Mascoma Corporation in Kinross and Dow Chemical in Midland.
 
# # #