LANSING – State Representative Lee Gonzales (D-Flint Township) today praised the announcement by Vice President Joe Biden that Michigan will receive $1.36 billion in federal stimulus funding for the development and production of advanced batteries to power the next generation of automobiles, creating thousands of jobs for Michigan's highly skilled workers. The move also will position Michigan as a leader in producing the technologies that will help break the nation's dangerous dependence on foreign oil.
"Michigan already has a head start when it comes to advanced technologies, and with this investment we'll be able to hit the ground running," Gonzales said. "Vice President Biden is right – Michigan is the perfect place for these high-tech manufacturers to locate. Thanks to our first-class workers and state-of-the-art facilities, Michigan is becoming a magnet for these emerging technologies."
Gonzales sponsored Michigan's first-in-the-nation tax credits for companies involved in advanced battery manufacturing that were signed into law in January and later expanded in April to a total of $555 million. The first of those tax breaks were awarded to General Motors for the production of lithium-ion batteries for its new Chevy Volt, which will be built in Michigan. The tax incentives have resulted in more than $2 billion in investments by five world-class advanced battery companies that will create more than 6,600 jobs in Michigan.
The $1.36 billion awarded to Michigan is more than half of the $2.4 billion in federal grants announced today through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that will further accelerate the development and commercialization of safe and affordable electric vehicles. Of the 48 grants approved under the stimulus program, 11 are in Michigan.
"We worked across the aisle to get these battery credits passed, and it's heartening to see Washington supporting our efforts," Gonzales said. "With this announcement, it's clear that we'll be building the green cars of the future right here in Michigan. That's great news for our workers and our state."