Show Notes: Michigan Phantom Menace

the mighty humanzee
By The Mighty Humanzee

Link Back to LIVE Stream

Michigan has promised taxpayer jobs from corporate welfare projects, they haven’t appeared. We have holding companies registered as foreign agents promising infrastructure jobs, but little history to prove whether they are up to the job. We have MI law enforcement regarding illegals. Phantom Jobs, Phantom Companies, Phantom Law Enforcement. Do you sense a pattern?

Before We Begin, A Reminder From Our Elite

Anatomy of Solar Propaganda

An aerial view of the former Groveland Mine site in Dickinson County, Michigan

The Groveland project is being developed by Circle Power Renewables on the site of a former open-pit iron mine. The project was approved by local governments because the land is polluted and has little value for other uses.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/deep-abandoned-mine-could-offer-hope-green-energy-fights

Royal Oak-based Circle Power Renewables plans to soon break ground on a 120-megawatt array at the former Groveland Mine site in Dickinson County, eventually covering some 500 acres with enough solar panels to power 17,600 homes.

The secret to its success: The project is on property nobody else wants. That’s a possible breakthrough to stalemates that are now routine over industrial-scale wind and solar farm proposals amid Michigan’s transition to cleaner energy.

It’s a strategy that’s picking up steam as Michigan races to achieve a carbon-neutral electricity sector by 2040. But even the biggest boosters acknowledge it’s a small piece of the solution. Michigan needs some 209,000 additional acres of wind and solar, and most brownfields are only a few dozen acres in size.

“You need so many things for a project to work… ,” said Jordan Roberts, CEO of Circle Power.  “Unfortunately, we couldn’t just build on 10,000 Grovelands tomorrow.”

  • Project Details:120-megawatt solar array covering approximately 500 acres. 185.000 Solar panels
  • Expected to power 17,600 homes. 
  • Construction to begin soon, with completion anticipated in 2028. 
  • Projected operational lifespan of at least 30 years. 
  • Key Factors Contributing to Project Approval: 
  • Brownfield Site: The project’s location on an abandoned mine significantly reduced community opposition.
  • Economic Incentives: The project is projected to generate over $12 million in tax revenue for local governments.
  • Community Engagement: Circle Power has committed to using union labor, providing local scholarships, and funding recreation projects.

127 Million in Federal Tax Dollars for this type of project in Michigan

Circle Power

https://circlepower.com/

What is interesting is that while they list 68 years of expertise, they do not list any projects associated with that experience.  This is merely a series of websites with photos.  There is no address listed in Royal Oak where the company supposedly is doing business.  The project website is listed in Troy but with the phone number of the project site in the Upper Peninsula.  The registration of the Circle Power LLC states Plymouth Michigan.  LARA registration shows a small office building in Plymouth.  

No Zoning

Don’t worry about Eminent Domain, you are no longer in charge of zoning in Michigan for solar and wind projects.

Wind tribunes in Michigan

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigans-controversial-wind-solar-energy-law-effect-what-know

A controversial law that allows the state to approve large wind and solar farms over local objections is now in effect.

The law, Public Act 233, went into effect Friday, Nov. 29, and was among the more contentious aspects of a suite of reforms enacted last year to speed Michigan’s clean energy transition. 

Concerned about fierce local opposition that is slowing efforts to replace fossil fuel power with green energy, the Legislature passed bills along party lines that curtail local officials’ authority to reject renewable energy projects in their community.

We have reported on the impact of this law previously, and the Michigan Public Service Commission,

Show Notes: Darth Nessel And Sand Piper

No Such Thing As Too Much Transparency

https://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/news/state-representative-on-energy-committee-owns-solar-company 

Rep. Joey Andrews IV, D-St. Joseph promised he closed his solar panel company, he really did.  Must be he forgot, because when he executed his duties as voiced chair of the House Energy Committee, he absentmindedly made it easier for his company to profit.  

On Wednesday, Andrews voted in favor of legislation that would benefit the solar industry by allowing statewide permits to be granted out of Lansing.

Andrews, who is vice-chairman of the House energy committee, voted for bills that would give the Michigan Public Service Commission the right to permit solar and windmill projects statewide.

This would remove local leadership from the decision process. It would further empower the governor, who appoints the three-member commission.

Who Is Gotion?

CCP Manufacturing coming to Michigan under false pretenses.  We have discussed Gotion and Big Rapids on previous sessions.

Show Notes: Michigan Mission – Gotion in Motion

Show Notes: Revenge of The Gotion

Gotion And the CCP MIT Spy Company

https://www.themidwesterner.news/2024/12/gotion-high-tech-partners-with-chinese-university-accused-of-cyber-attacks-high-level-of-defense-research/

The new MOU between Gotion High-tech and Tsinghua University — Xi Jinping’s alma mater — will undoubtedly compound the national security concerns by drawing a direct line between Gotion, Inc. and China’s military and national security programs.

Considered “China’s MIT,” Tsinghua “engages in a range of military research and was awarded secret-level security credentials for classified research in 2007,” according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s International Cyber Policy Centre. “In advancing military-civil fusion, Tsinghua also continues its ‘fine tradition’ of serving China’s national security and defense, actively creating new platforms and initiatives to support this strategy.

“Not only its dedicated defense laboratories but also a range of key laboratories and research institutions at the university have received funding from the military,” ASPI reports. “Since at least 2012, Tsinghua has also been jointly supervised by defense industry agency SASTIND as part of a program to deepen its defence research and links to the defence sector.”

Where Are The Jobs?

All of these programs proceed with much protest from citizens, despite the fact that they have NEVER DELIVERED THE JOBS REPORTED.  At best they delivered 500 jobs per year.

https://www.mackinac.org/pressroom/2024/michigans-corporate-welfare-failure-only-1-in-11-jobs-promised-were-created

MIDLAND, Mich. —  As the Michigan Legislature considers a new wave of corporate welfare handouts during its lame-duck session, a new study from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy sheds light on two decades of broken promises tied to taxpayer-funded business subsidies. The study reveals that only 9% of the jobs announced in major state-sponsored deals from 2000 to 2020 were ever created.

Analyzing front-page headlines from the Detroit Free Press, the study found that while companies promised 123,060 jobs through subsidy agreements, only 10,889 materialized. Worse, half of the companies awarded deals created no jobs at all, and just 15% of companies met or exceeded their job projections.

Carbon Capture Coming to MI

https://michiganadvance.com/2024/11/27/senators-launch-bipartisan-bills-encouraging-manufacturers-to-adopt-carbon-capture-technology/

The bills are aimed at creating a state-level body to oversee the permitting and regulation of carbon capture facilities. These facilities aim to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from man-made sources, for storage or reuse in other materials. 

According to Autumn Haagsma, director of the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and assistant director of the Michigan Geological Survey, there are three main components that make up the carbon capture, utilization and storage process: the technology used to capture carbon dioxide emissions, transportation to an appropriate storage site and storing it within deep geological formations.

“When we think about where we’re at and where we’re going, as we have a increased population, this leads to, we need more energy. We need more materials, we need more industrial processes. We’re creating more waste, and in this process, that means we’re also creating more greenhouse gasses, and more greenhouse gasses means we could have a negative climate impact,” Haagsma said. 

 

As stakeholders looked at ways to decarbonize Michigan’s economy, they began exploring ways Michigan could serve as a leader in supporting carbon capture, storage and utilization technology, supporting communities with improvements to air quality in industrial areas while allowing manufacturers and heavy industry to reduce their emissions.

In addition to helping to cut down on air pollution, these types of projects could also help cut the cost of materials like concrete, said Robert Joerg, director of government affairs for the Michigan Laborers District Council which represents seven local Michigan Unions including workers in the construction and energy industries.

What They Won’t Tell You About Carbon Capture

This photo shows the spot where a carbon dioxide pipeline ruptured in Satartia, Miss., in February 2020, leading to the evacuation of 200 residents and the hospitalization of 45 others. No one was killed.

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2022/09/11/here-minute-details-2020-mississippi-co-2-pipeline-leak-rupture-denbury-gulf-coast/8015510001/

  • CO2 pipeline rupture that occurred in Satartia, Mississippi, on February 22, 2020. This incident resulted in the hospitalization of at least 45 people and the evacuation of over 200 residents. The article uses this event as a case study to explore the potential risks and challenges associated with the growing network of CO2 pipelines in the U.S., particularly in light of the significant federal investment in carbon capture and storage technology.
  • CO2 interfered with emergency response efforts. Since combustion engines require oxygen to function, the displacement of oxygen by CO2 caused many vehicles to stall, hindering first responders’ ability to reach those in need.
  • Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) currently only regulates CO2 in its “supercritical” liquid state. Other forms, such as gaseous CO2, are not subject to federal regulations, raising concerns about liability in case of incidents.

Satartia rupture reflects issues with the specific operator rather than systemic problems with the industry

A project in Wyoming for carbon capture was cancelled.  Why?  It would required too much energy to run efficiently.  Carbon capture systems for requiring significant amounts of energy to operate, potentially exacerbating the very problem they aim to solve.  The Bison project in Wyoming, which was canceled due to insufficient power availability, highlighting the irony of using energy-intensive technologies to offset carbon emissions.

Project Bison fails. What’s next for the carbon removal megaproject?

Lame Duck Session Mayhem – How They Are Screwing Michigan

https://www.mackinac.org/blog/2024/what-to-watch-in-the-lame-duck-session

  • $4.6 billion in incentives for select businesses, with minimal job creation to show for it. 
  • Make It In MI Fund: Senate Bills 559 and 562 propose renaming and expanding a corporate subsidy program. The Mackinac Center criticizes this as a continuation of a failed approach.
  • Mundy Township Project: A potential large-scale manufacturing project in Mundy Township has already received $250 million in state funding. The governor is expected to request additional funding. However, the project faces uncertainty after the township supervisor who supported it lost re-election to a candidate opposed to the project. 
  • Michigan Innovation Fund: House Bills 5651-5653 aim to revive a state venture capital fund that had been previously criticized for inefficiency and a lack of positive results. 
  • HIRE in MI: Senate Bills 579-581 would allow corporations to claim up to $2.9 billion in individual income tax revenue. This is similar to a previous program, “Good Jobs For Michigan,” which promised significant job creation but ultimately fell short of expectations. 
  • Tax Credit for Union Dues: House Bill 4235 would allow union members to claim a refundable tax credit for union dues. The Mackinac Center argues that this could encourage unions to increase dues, placing a burden on taxpayers. 
  • Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave: A recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling has reinstated a law that would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour, eliminate the tipped minimum wage, and mandate paid sick leave. While the Mackinac Center does not explicitly oppose minimum wage increases or paid sick leave, they highlight concerns about the potential negative impact on Michigan’s economy. 
  • The sources note that less than 1% of Michigan workers earned minimum wage in 2023. This suggests that the impact of the minimum wage increase may be less significant than in previous years.
  • The Mackinac Center supports House Bill 6056, which would preserve the tipped minimum wage, and House Bill 6057, which aims to address some of the perceived drawbacks of the mandatory paid sick leave law. 
  • Film Subsidies: The Mackinac Center criticizes House Bills 4907-4908 and Senate Bills 438-439, which would allocate over $2 billion in tax credits for filmmaking. They argue that previous film subsidy programs in Michigan did not generate substantial job growth. 

Darth Nessel Will Remain Loyal To Illegal Invaders

Darth Nessel Task Force To Stop Indian Hate Crimes

https://www.michigannewssource.com/2024/11/attorney-general-nessel-unveils-task-force-for-indigenous-justice/

A new task force dedicated to addressing violence against Indigenous people has been launched in Michigan. 

Led by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, the Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Task Force will bring together a wide coalition of tribal leaders, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, victim advocates, and human services specialists to develop solutions.

“The MMIP Task Force marks a critical first step in combatting abuse and violence against Indigenous people in Michigan,” Nessel said.

The initiative aims to raise awareness, address contributing factors, and implement Michigan-specific solutions to help victims and their families, according to a press release from the AG’s office. 

Leave a Reply