Statement of MMA Executive Vice President of Government Affairs & Workforce Development Mike Johnston in Response to Energy Proposals Focused on Carbon Reduction

LANSING (Sept. 14, 2023) — The Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA) today released the following statement as policymakers speed forward this fall with energy proposals focused on carbon reduction, urging caution to ensure the proposed policies benefit, not hurt Michigan’s future, and laid out critical principles to ensure continuity in manufacturing growth and state prosperity.

Statement of MMA Executive Vice President of Government Affairs & Workforce Development Mike Johnston

Manufacturers share the overall goals of moving toward increasing levels of clean energy production to power their operations, but cost and reliability are paramount considerations for the energy intensive manufacturing sector, our state’s leading employment sector. Energy cost is a top input to the cost of production. That’s why we caution policymakers against costly mandates and encourage them to ensure our energy policies are thoughtfully crafted to achieve environmental and economic objectives. 

We are working with legislators to ensure that the state’s largest sector has reliable and affordable access to the baseload capacity necessary to manufacture and deliver Michigan-made products around the globe. Environmental goals and economic goals are not mutually exclusive; both are necessary for a successful future for Michigan. To maintain our rightful place as the Manufacturing State, we must establish long-term, achievable, predictable, and flexible policy that prioritizes price and reliability while achieving emission reduction goals.

For more information or to schedule a call with MMA’s Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Workforce Development Mike Johnston, contact MMA’s Delaney McKinley at 517-487-8530 or mckinley@mimfg.org.

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