Reps. Slotkin and Walberg and Sens. Stabenow and Peters ask EPA to cut red tape to expedite new Lansing area manufacturing plant
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– In a letter signed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to expedite regulatory decisions that could delay construction of a new auto manufacturing facility in Delta Township. Made possible through a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solutions, the new $2.6 billion plant will manufacture batteries for use in GM Electric Vehicles (EVs) and is expected to generate 1,700 new jobs in the Lansing area.
Slotkin’s letter was co-signed by Michigan Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, as well as U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07).
The batteries that the new plant will manufacture use carbon nanotubes, which dramatically improve the batteries’ performance, capacity, life span, and charging speed, all of which are central to making EVs a more attractive option for consumers. Use of these nanotubes requires EPA approval, which has been pending for months and threatens to delay construction of the new plant.
“As it now stands, the PMN applications have been pending for more than five months, although the [Toxic Substances Control Act] statute mandates a 90-day review. Our concern is that if EPA does not complete its review of the [Pre-Manufacturing Notice] by May then the launch of the three EV battery plants will be delayed,” the group of lawmakers wrote.
The new Delta Township facility was announced in January as part of a massive $7 billion investment by GM across four different sites in Michigan. In addition to the new EV battery plant, GM also plans on making $510 million in improvements to its existing Delta Township facility and its Lansing Grand River Assembly, making Lansing the company’s major hub for EV manufacturing.
Slotkin has been a staunch advocate of the deal, highlighting its national security importance in addition to the economic boom it will bring to Lansing. “We need to be aggressive. If we are not aggressive on attracting all kinds of tech firms, all kinds of innovation in automotive, battery technology, if we’re not aggressive, China is going to take those jobs,” Slotkin said at the time.
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