U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm found her way back to Michigan Thursday to discuss the Biden Administration’s proposed investments to promote clean energy goals as well as domestic manufacturing and supply chain solutions through the bipartisan $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The state’s former two-term governor made three stops in Oakland County, incuding in Holly, Rochester Hills, and Auburn Hills, before visiting General Motors’ Factory ZERO in Detroit. In Oakland County, she made her first stop at Magna Electronic’s plant in Holly alongside U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin. She then hosted a roundtable at Oakland University with U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens before touring FEV North America’s vehicle development center in Auburn Hills.
The visit to Michigan comes the same day President Biden and the auto industry, including GM, Ford, and Stellantis, made historic announcements involving net-zero emissions and electric vehicles.
Biden signed an executive order at The White House setting a new national target of 50% electric vehicle sales share in 2030. Officials from The Big Three joined Biden at The White House to announce a shared commitment to achieve sales of 40-50% of annual U.S. volumes of electric vehicles, including battery electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2030 in order to move the nation closer to a zero-emissions future consistent with Paris climate goals.
Great to be back in Motor City with @RepSlotkin! Suppliers like @MagnaInt are living proof that good-paying union jobs and decarbonizing our transportation supply chain go hand-in-hand. @POTUS’ #BuildBackBetter Agenda will supercharge Michigan and every pocket of our nation. pic.twitter.com/1qXpErK1rA
— Secretary Jennifer Granholm (@SecGranholm) August 5, 2021
The stop in Holly included a tour of Magna Electronics’ assembly plant, a global automotive supplier that produces mobility solutions and technology for electrification and autonomous vehicles.
Granholm told The Oakland Press that her visit to Michigan, on this day, is “very intentional.” She said that her main message as she traveled across the county was to “underscore what it looks like” when suppliers and the automakers are creating “good jobs” as a result of the announcements today and due to the continued increase in demand for electionics and electrification of vehicles.
“(The announcement from The Big Three) is amazing,” said Granholm to reporters in Holly. “What that means for us is that all of the stuff that the vehicles have inside of them, like what Magna produces, we want to be made in America. We want supply chains to be made in America. I’m really proud to be here with Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. She has been the champion for supply chain in this country.”
Granholm said the new bipartisan infrastructure package will help to promote build in America priorities while addressing efforts aimed at clean energy and sustainable, domestic supply chains.
“The deal is going through Congress now,” she said. “It includes building out the electric vehicle charging infrastructure so that people aren’t afraid that when they build a vehicle they won’t be able to fuel it. We want to add 500,000 new charging stations. Part of the bipartisan deal includes $6 billion for investment in batter development and manufacturing. Another part is to stand up new semiconductor fabrication facilities. (Magna Electronics) could be doing twice or three times what it currently is if they had access to more chips and semiconductors.”
In June, the U.S. Senate passed the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which aims to boost U.S. competitiveness with China while investing billions into emerging technology industries like semiconductors. In its current form, the bill provides $52 billion for domestic semiconductor manufacturing, research, and design, which includes the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial semiconductor fabrication facilities.
She added that the country should not be relying on foreign counties to manufacture critical supplies, including parts for electric vehicles like batteries, semiconductors, and the vehicles themselves.
https://twitter.com/MarkCavitt/status/1423297524656398338
Slotkin said that she believes Michigan has the “best champion possible” in Granholm to make sure all these “big announcements turn into jobs, opportunities, and money” here in Michigan with her “deep background on the state.”
White House officials say the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal is just the first step, with a proposed $3.5 trillion, Democratic-only package following close behind. The larger bill, still being developed in Congress, will meet Biden’s promise to move the country toward carbon-free electricity, make America a global leader in electric vehicles and create millions of jobs in solar, wind and other clean-energy industries, supporters say.
“We have to strike while the iron is hot,” she said of new bipartisan infrastructure bill. “We have a bipartisan deal that is strong, but it’s not perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect bill, but it’s a strong bill that’s poised to pass the Senate. In my experience while in Washington, a good deal does not have a good shelf life. You need to vote on it quickly and approve it. That doesn’t mean that I won’t consider another budget reconciliation bill. Lets not make the perfect the enemy of the good. Lets vote on the bipartisan bill and then lets tlak about what we want to do with the second bill.”
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said it was great to host Granholm so that she “can see the great work our businesses are doing on advanced technology that will contribute to efforts to develop and manufacture automotive eletrification.”
“Our companies and residents stand to benefit from the federal bipartisan infrastructure plan she’s promoting today,” he said.
By signing the executive order, Gov. Gretchen Whtimer said the president is sending clear message that the U.S. can combat climate change while at the same time “creating good-paying, union jobs right here in Michigan and across the country.”
“Bold actions like today’s will be critical within the next ten years to reduce the harmful impacts of climate change,” she said. “This Executive Order will bolster the automotive industry in Michigan and across the United States by accelerating innovation and manufacturing while prioritizing the importance of combating climate change. Paired with the President’s ambitious infrastructure plans, today’s executive order will ensure we continue to lead the world on mobility and electrification while highlighting the need to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure here in Michigan and across the United States.”
Transportation accounts for approximately 30% of total U.S. energy needs and generates the largest share of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Efforts to decarbonize the transportation supply chain and enhance the infrastructure needed to support the growing adoption of zero-emission vehicles are crucial to reaching the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050,” said a spokesperson for the Department of Energy.
In April, Biden announced a new target for the United States to achieve a 50-52 percent reduction from 2005 levels in economy-wide net greenhouse gas pollution in 2030. The president has also set a goal for the nation to achieve a carbon pollution-free power sector by the year 2035, putting the country on a path towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050, another one of Biden’s goals.
Julie Cerqueira, Executive Director for the U.S. Climate Alliance, said strong vehicle standards protect our communities from unnecessary air pollution and fuel costs, and address the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
“There’s much more work to do, but these new proposed rules are a critical step forward and will benefit our health, economy, and planet,” she said. “Our states have been driving the transition to clean cars for many years and we look forward to working with the administration and continuing to lead.”
Magna’s Holly manufacturing facility opened in August 2019 and serves as a global development and manufacturing center for advanced driver assistance systems including cameras, components, and other electronic products.
In July 2021, the company, which has 56 manufacturing sites, 11 engineering and product development sites, and nearly 25,000 employees in the U.S., signed a joint venture with LG Electronics to develop powertrains for electric vehicles and announced a merger with Veoneer which will build upon their advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) capabilities.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report
