Economic Development Responsibility Alliance of Michigan

We are incredibly excited to present to sustainability investors, and to Michigan residents, our plan for alternative megasite development in Michigan. The Regenerative Agriculture Megasite contains four key components: 1) a food & fiber hub (as defined by the USDA), 2) a New Farm School (Montessori & project based learning, K-12), 3) a 200+ acre native habitat park, and 4) a Made in MI retail corridor. Working together to create a closed-loop system of supply and demand which imitate nature's own ecologies, these four components combined into one Regenerative Agriculture Megasite meet a host of key goals for community members, investors, and climate activists alike: - lasting carbon mitigation through soil restoration, water conservation, and habitat preservation - increase local food security - improve health & safety of local food - reduce local residents' overall carbon footprint - stimulate job creation up and down the agricultural supply chain - improve quality of local public education - provide youth with training and education in real-world skills which match their generation's priorities of environmental preservation and sustainability - provide public, barrier-free access to nature and outdoor recreation - create space for local folk festivals - boost local retail - revitalize the local small business economy - and much, much more! Here in Part 1, we explore Michigan local communities' need for economic development due to specific types of disinvestment, and how the concept of the Regenerative Agriculture Megasite was developed through grassroots research. Please follow and stay tuned for parts 2-6! #regenerativeagriculture #investment #climatesolutions #startup #soilforclimate #grassrootsaction #economicdevelopment #environmentaljustice #michiganbusiness #seedinvestment

"But?why? We’re a grassroots lobbying organization. Why are we spending our time on local placemaking events? Because?study?after?study?has confirmed that local events and cultural expression are the glue of the community. Socially, emotionally, and yes: economically. A community where locals don’t know their neighbors, don’t participate in local arts, and don’t take pride in their community is a community where people don’t spend their money. In other words: our disconnection from one another and from our public spaces literally make us more poor, as a community." #economicdevelopment #grassrootsaction #environmentaljustice #economicjustice #stakeholders #michiganbusiness https://lnkd.in/gYbG7eHf

"The ongoing battle over the Marshall Megasite is a critical moment for environmental accountability in Michigan. With groups like EDRA pushing for stricter enforcement and MAEDA’s persistent violations, the outcome will have far-reaching implications for the state’s water protection standards and corporate responsibility." #michiganbusiness #energytransition #environmentaljustice #ev #industrialdevelopment #pollution

We do thank Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy's Director Phil Roos for replying directly to our September 9th letter asking for enforcement of environmental permitting regulations at the Marshall MAJOR megasite campus. It's our sincere hope that this is the beginning of an essential and more open dialogue between EGLE and local citizens. While EGLE did address some of our concerns in their letter, Mr. Roos' response did not satisfy our requests for enforcement of NPDES permitting violations. We've reiterated those requests to Mr. Roos and his staff. Our thanks to the Committee For Marshall – Not the Megasite for their endorsement of the letter, and their continued efforts to protect Marshall's community, water, and habitat. EGLE's response letter and our reply have both been made publicly available - see link. #environmentaljustice #EPA #environmentalregulation #industrialpollution #grassroots #citizenlobbying #corporateaccountability #waterprotection #waterislife https://lnkd.in/g9yznshp

"Statewide media outlets have taken note of the 13 NPDES?permit violations and formal compliance actions?MAEDA incurred up through July 2024. By August 6th, MAEDA incurred five more, and EGLE found that none of the previous violations had been remedied. Over the summer to date, there have been a minimum of?four documented instances where sediment-laden stormwater unlawfully exited MAEDA’s construction site, traveled over 303 designated wetlands, and entered the Kalamazoo River. Dating back to fall of 2023, MAEDA (and its network of at least five contractors) has demonstrated a consistent pattern of: - failure to provide a timeline for site stabilization (first noted October 2023) - failure to properly document on-site progress in weekly logs (first noted October 2023) - providing inadequate SESC plans (first noted November 2023) - failure to follow, properly implement, and maintain existing SESC plans (first noted June 2024) Yet since fall of 2023, EGLE has renewed MAEDA’s NPDES permits three times–in some cases directly after violations have occurred (see attached timeline for detail). More urgently: it’s clear that further regulatory protections are necessary to mitigate damage to adjacent wetlands and streams. In January 2024, EGLE determined that no Part 301 and 303 permits would be required because MAEDA’s stormwater management plan is?to capture and infiltrate all runoff from up to the 100-year storm, in both temporary and permanent stabilized conditions. However, in the minimum of four instances of polluted stormwater leaving the MAJOR site and entering the Kalamazoo River, the stormwater traveled through wetlands, as noted in four on-site inspections conducted by EGLE’s local quality analysis team. It’s clear that the plan MAEDA and its contractors have designed to capture and infiltrate all runoff is not feasible. Given both the apparent inadequacy of the site plan and the pattern of noncompliance demonstrated by MAEDA’s team, it’s extremely likely that unfiltered stormwater will continue to contaminate these protected bodies of water."

"Local resident voices were suspiciously absent–and not for lack of community interest. The MSF quietly changed its public comment policy to require community members to pre-register to comment before 3pm the day before the meeting. Local resident, business owner, and engineer JoAn Mende, was unable to attend the meeting due to work constraints–as were many of her peers. “It is counter-intuitive that the Flint and Genesee Group Foundation (FGGF), an organization that produces neither goods or services, continues to receive financial support to the tune of $250M in addition to previously granted $9.2MM last month, to simply bolster their capacity to attract (i.e. bribe) business investment in the 1000 acre site.” Ms. Mende says Mr. Rossmaessler “fails to appreciate the voices of Mundy Township residents who have the real skin in the game… The middle class, the backbone of Mundy Township (and America), already see their income taxed 30%, and the spending orgy on so-called "shovel ready advanced manufacturing projects" may easily increase that to upwards of 50%. Residents are gas-lighted for opposing the "advanced Manufacturing Mega-site" as being anti-job, anti-growth, even anti-youth. “On the contrary, we want the best for the next generation's future. We want jobs that won't subject the worker to toxic, forever chemicals, or to mentally stressful working conditions. We want jobs that highlight the agricultural wealth that is present in Mundy Township. We also don't want decisions to be made hastily without developers taking time to do their due diligence on environmental and safety issues.”" #michiganbusiness #energytransition #environmentaljustice #greenenergy #corruption #waterislife https://lnkd.in/gkpX6w36

"The instances of probable cause listed in the affidavit include: fraud; gross negligence; violation of local zoning ordinances; material misrepresentation; conflict of interest; money laundering; and violation of state law, among others. Subjects of Finkbeiner’s criminal complaint include: Governor Whitmer; committee members for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), its Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) board, and the Right Place; Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); the offices of EPA Region 5; Mecosta County’s Board of Commissioners, and the former board members of Green Charter Township.Place; Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE); the offices of EPA Region 5; Mecosta County’s Board of Commissioners, and the former board members of Green Charter Township." #michiganbusiness #economicdevelopment #corruption #economicjustice #environmentaljustice #regulatorycapture #greenenergy https://lnkd.in/gYBie5t7

"Given the gravity of the impacts of the development on the area, and the lack of preparation Gotion has demonstrated in its applications with the county and with EGLE, it’s clear that not only does the Commission have the right to table this application review until Gotion’s state permits are complete; it has a duty to do so. As the Mecosta County Planning Commission considers Gotion’s application on May 1st, we ask that the county commission, board, and administrators, as well as local department health, fire, and safety officials carefully consider the following information." #epa #egle #environmentaljustice #toxicgreenenergy #waterislife #michiganbusiness #pureopportunism https://lnkd.in/g8NRUQ3s

"The study’s maps reveal that Gotion’s proposed site lies at the heart of one of the region’s most flood-prone areas, and atop land which provides critical regulation of the area’s habitat and drinking water. Gotion’s heavy industrial development would destroy 60 acres of critical wetlands–the full effect of which cannot be offset?by any manner of “wetlands relocation,” as science and common sense dictate. It would pave large areas, and would create the opportunity for industrial runoff. These are the types of development which this study specifically recommends?against. The scientific data contained in this study indicate that the cost of Gotion’s disturbance of this land could be millions in property damage, toxified rivers and drinking water, and irreversible damage to the ecosystems of the entire region." #environmentaljustice #greenenergy #EV #corruption #toxification #waterislife #michiganbusiness #medc

"In?his affidavit, Adams writes that his “complaint and demand for criminal investigation is based in multiple instances of ethics violations and ‘misconduct in office’,” a common law offense which would subject parties, if found guilty, to a felony and up to 5 years in prison or a $10,000 fine, according to Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 750.505. The instances listed in the affidavit include: money laundering; fraud and coercion; illegal rezoning;?fabrication of public records; conflict of interest; deliberate deception of the public; illegally denying voters the right to referendum; and violation of Michigan’s campaign finance law. Subjects of Adams’ criminal complaint include: Governor Whitmer; committee members for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), its Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) board, and the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA);?individuals behind the??dark money-funded?Marshall Citizens for Jobs and Opportunity (MCJO); and Marshall’s city and township officials and planning commissioners. Some of these allegations are already under?Michigan’s Court of Appeals’?review, including the battle over Marshall residents’ right to referendum the megasite’s industrial zoning. In March, the court granted Marshall residents’ request to expedite their case against MAEDA and the city of Marshall.?"