7/15/15 - Michigan Chemistry Council Urges Legislature to Continue Work to Achieve Energy Competitiveness

LANSING, MI, July 15, 2015 – As the Senate Energy and Technology Committee begins hearings on comprehensive energy legislation, the Michigan Chemistry Council (MCC) urges the Legislature to focus on policies that will help our state become more competitive on energy costs and grow manufacturing jobs.

“Michigan continues to lag behind our neighboring states on energy affordability, a disadvantage that burdens job growth in many industries and costs Michigan’s citizens more of their hard-earned income each month,” said John Dulmes, Executive Director of the MCC.

“We appreciate the work of the committee chairs in introducing legislation and advancing the conversation, but we also recognize that these bills are extremely far-reaching and will require extended analysis and debate,” Dulmes added. “We continue to advocate for competitive energy markets that allow for a wide range of energy resources, as well as effective regulatory oversight that looks out for ratepayers.”

“Given that the most recent projections show that Michigan continues to enjoy surplus capacity available to meet our needs, the Legislature should take the time to get this complicated issue right. We look forward to working with both chambers to achieve energy competitiveness and grow jobs in our state.”

The MCC’s 2015 Energy Policy Agenda (http://www.michiganchemistry.com/energy-agenda) detailed specific policy initiatives in the four areas of competitive energy costs, energy efficiency, clean energy, and an adaptive Michigan energy policy.

The Michigan Chemistry Council, established in 1967, represents Michigan’s chemical manufacturers, formulators and distributors. Chemistry is Michigan’s third-largest manufacturing sector, supporting nearly 120,000 Michigan jobs and generating $127 million in state and local taxes.