marshall residents speak against the Ford blue oval battery plant

2/21/2023

marshall residents speak against the Ford blue oval battery plant - A letter to the marshall township board

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Dear Marshall Township Board,

I am here today to express my concern regarding the proposed electric vehicle battery plant. While it may sound like a great opportunity for our community, there are significant economic concerns that must be taken into account.

The production of lithium and cobalt, two crucial materials in electric vehicle batteries, is heavily reliant on unstable foreign markets. These markets are often plagued by political instability, labor violations, and supply chain issues. As a result, prices for these materials can be volatile, leading to unpredictable production costs for manufacturers.

Furthermore, the demand for electric vehicles is currently concentrated in a few countries, and it is uncertain whether this demand will continue to grow at a sustainable rate. A sudden drop in demand could leave the proposed plant vulnerable to a boom-and-bust cycle, which would have negative consequences for our local economy.

In addition, the lithium and cobalt industry has been linked to numerous environmental and social issues, including water pollution, deforestation, and human rights abuses. These concerns could damage the reputation of our city and negatively impact our local economy.

Finally, while the proposed plant may create jobs in the short term, we must consider the long-term economic sustainability of the industry. If demand for electric vehicles decreases, the plant may be forced to downsize or shut down, leaving our community with few options for economic recovery.

I heard that the majority of the jobs at the proposed EV plant site are $18-20 per hour. Construction costs being what they are, an average plant worker supporting a family will not be able to afford new construction home or an existing rental.

Lastly, the average demographics of the Marshall Township Board, Marshall City Council, and MAEDA board concern me as a millennial. It’s feels like you are only thinking of your limited lifetimes, making a decision on behalf of all of us, leaving the trailing generations to deal with the consequences.

In conclusion, I urge the City Council to reconsider the proposed electric vehicle battery plant. The potential economic risks and negative externalities are significant, and we must prioritize sustainable development that is beneficial for our community in the long run.

Thank you.

Jason Blanchard, Marshall

7 Comments

Concerned Citizens

We are concerned residents who are oppossed to the State of Michigan's plant to create a 1,600 acre industrial park outside historic Marshall, Michigan. Instead we wish to see a 1,600 acre recreational area on this site which runs along two miles of the Kalamazoo River. Save Historic Marshall, Save Michigan's Agricultural Land and Protect Michigan's green spaces!

James

2/21/2023 06:01:48 am

It's important that we start learning actual facts instead of repeating the same misinformed arguments. First, there is no cobalt being used in this plant, as it is an LFP battery plant. While I won't go on too long about this, but iron and phosphate do not have nearly the supply chain issues as nickel or cobalt. While certainty lithium is not a substance we should be irresponsible with, I have yet to see anyone actually cite a case of widespread contamination due to battery production.

Next, baseless speculation such as "if electric car demand decreases" and conjecture about salaries in the plant are also not a convincing way to win an argument, as they're not facts, but rather, opinion. And suggesting that nobody who works there will be able to afford a home or apartment is just silly. There are several battery plants throughout the US, those people all live somewhere. If they can't afford to work here, wages will increase.

I'm not saying the factory is good or bad, but I can tell you those working at the city, township, county level are very well informed about the details of this project, the technology being used, etc. They are going to brush letters like this off as it's nothing more than misinformed opinion.

Michigan Megasite link

2/21/2023 11:15:05 am

Local officials have illustrated that they have no understanding about what this proposed project nor what it will do to the quality of life for residents. None of the participants in the creation of the Megasite- MAEDA, Marshall Township Trustees (except one) City of Marshall have NOT shown any concern for Township residents who will be driven from their homes for this project. There is no awareness to the loss of our cultural and environmental resources.

With regards to Ford's proposed EV battery plant.
This is an utterly foolish Corporate Welfare Project that puts the interests of the corporation over the community.

The proof is in the pudding. Ford's EV Truck Plant is currently CLOSED for a week due to an EV battery Fire!!

Other Ford plants have been closed this past year due to supply chain issues! Lithium extraction requires copious amounts of water and is harmful to local populations. And even lithium supplies are not currently secure.

Here's a recent article that shares this concern.

https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/15/the-need-to-reduce-foreign-sourced-mining-of-essential-minerals/

Residents have estimated wages based on REAL wages in other Ford plants and other EV battery plants. It is not realistic to expect wages to be any higher than current wages in these facilities.

2/21/2023 05:27:35 pm

I understand you’re frustrated, but your assumption that quality of life will decrease for residents is an opinion, not a fact. The fact of the matter is this is going to be built, with earth moving beginning within a few weeks and construction by the end of the year. You can vehemently oppose it all you want, but it won’t change this fact.

As for your concerns about batteries; new technology s always scary to older generations. I apologize for this, but bullying people on Facebook is not going to make it go away. Rather, I would suggest you consider consulting on the project with Ford, as it sounds like you’re an expert on lithium mining.

Finally, in order for Ford to employ enough employees to make their factory run efficiently, they will have to pay them a living wage. They wouldn’t be able to employ a factory full of people if they didn’t pay enough. Do you really think they’ll be running a factory full of impoverished people?

Since you’ll ask, I have no association with this project financial or otherwise, I live in Marshall, and I want to live in a place with an economy, not a corn field-turned-state park.

2/22/2023 01:43:55 am

Hi Jim,

We're pretty confident in saying the people who have and will be forced from homes they love will have their quality of life taken from them.

Maybe you measure quality of life by different standards, but most people would concur that increased traffic, heavy trucks and the construction of a 3 1/2 mile long industrial facility will raise sound, air, water and light pollution leading o a lower quality of life.

We have no desire to work with Ford Motor company. Our demands for a State Park Recreational Area are clear.

FACT- not all the land has been transferred. This means there are several legal means by which this entire project can quickly come to a grinding halt. Also, Ford hasn't been having much good luck as of late. Ford may decide that IT wants to back out. (See our FB post about Ford's stock prices).

We have no intention with working with Ford. BTW, did you know that Ford has NEVER made a battery before? Hardly the experts especially since they can't figure out the cause of the recent battery fire. And BTW, Ford is no expert in lithium mining. I guess you'll have to consult with the Chinese who control half of the worlds lithium supply.

New technology doesn't scare us. It's really stupid ideas that scare us. Ideas like pretending EV batteries are a "green" solution in order to get State incentive packages.

Regarding the issue of wages.
Check around for comparable EV battery jobs. You'll see they're not as great as you might expect. Also check to see how many Ford employees have been laid off in the last couple months due to battery fires and supply chain issues. Also consult with the 3,000 German Ford employees who lost jobs because Ford decided to move the jobs to the U.S. to take advantage of all the free money.

Ford will destroy the land and then won't hesitate to move elsewhere when it suits them. We'll be left with a mess.

We hope you can get out of Marshall and travel to other "destination communities" to see how a State Park Recreational Area can aid local economies. We understand that some people don't have experiences with State Parks and may not understand their value. As Goethe said, "One sees what oe knows". We realize that people living in Marshall have not been exposed to many of these opportunities and that is why we hope to bring them to Marshall and Calhoun County.

We know that climate change is real and that there is a global food crisis. We see the effects fo climate change on agricultural lands around the country. That is why it is critical that we do not waste these lands.

If you had been at the Marshall Township Public Hearing last night, you would have heard an informative discussion as to why this is the worst place to put an industrial Megasite by a leading expert in this field.

We hope to continue to inform the public in the coming months to these issues.

2/22/2023 09:40:59 am

The people being "forced from their homes" were compensated very generously for the inconvenience. I'm sorry you did not own property in the area, and thus missed out.

At this point I'm not sure whether your argument is that we need to preserve farmland, or to build a state park. Agriculture, specifically the monoculture practiced here, as I'm sure you're well aware, is responsible for the majority of the groundwater and surface water contamination within the county. Of course, we could solve that with a state recreation area, if you have a good idea how to finance it? (Land aquisitions for this project are well over $100,000,000, by the way)

I have been at Township and City meetings. I am aware of your group's arguments against this project. Unfortunately, many of the arguments made at these meetings have been convoluted by opinions which are not based in fact. In fact, many of the arguments have been based on unfounded political rhetoric, nationalism, and lies which have been spread on social media. If you knew the political makeup of the boards you've been speaking in front of, these have likely only been effective in making the boards more apt to approve the land transfers.

Your cause here is admirable; we all want a happy, healthy town, with places to live, work, eat, play, etc. But on these pages, I've also seen bullying, threatening local officials, threatening local businesses, and people speaking to their own neighbors in very disrespectful ways. This is not the way you are going to win this fight, and it's the reason you're not seeing people speak in favor of the project at the meetings. Why would those who have good relationships with the township and city boards subject themselves to that?

2/22/2023 11:49:04 am

Wow, "inconvenience"? Wow, we're going to call you out right here and say you're an heartless person. Perhaps a soul less one. Forcing people from homes in which they've lived 30, 40 and even 58 years is more than an "inconvenience". As you indicated, you're pretty young as you assumed the people running this page are old. You also present yourself as pretty immature. You obviously haven't lived long enough to have the life experiences to give you any kind of empathy as to how emotionally and physically distressful this has been for residents actually in the megasite and those whose properties are within the impact zone of the megasite.

You're slinging around a lot of numbers to suggest that you think you know "inside" information. So please would you state your sources? Because we too can play the game that you're playing saying we're spreading "misinformation". Curious to know, how many land owners have you interviewed before you claimed that they were all well compensated and happy with the decision to move? How many did you interview on C Drive? How many people have you talked to on Michigan Avenue? As you said, you do not live in the Township and you won''t be impacted in the same way as Marshall Township, but sadly, IF this Ford Blue Oval Battery Plant progresses, it will have detrimental affects on the town.

As to your question about the State Park Recreational Area. You must not follow us too closely as we have been promoting a 300 acre Agricultural District to preserve the historic Farmsteads at the end of C Drive and 13 Mile Road and provide space for community gardening as well as teaching sustainable agricultural practices. It appears that you do no have an agricultural background yourself? Correct? You may be interested to know that the State has from time to time had programs paid land owners to keep their property from being developed but "agricultural ready" by having them plant native grasses and wildflowers. The State Park would provide the native plants , trees and shrubs that were once prevalent in this area and are now virtually extinct. And yes, we do agree that some people do not use agricultural practices which are healthy for the environment. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't have agriculture. That is absurd. And it certainly doesn't mean a 3/12 mile long, 2000 acres industrial megasite which destroys everything within it is better. Again that is absurd. And you argument that agriculture is BAD but the Megasite is ok, shows us that you do not know how to put forth a logical argument, as you just shot yourself in the foot.

2/22/2023 06:52:09 pm

My argument was not that agriculture is bad, but rather and use of land will come with consequences, even ag. In fact, yes, I do currently work in agriculture. IPM to be specific. You shouldn't assume.

I have a very close relationship with many people who are closely connected to the site, including some who have sold to MAEDA and made out very well. Both homeowners, and land holding companies. I would share more on those, but you're clearly more interested in name calling & bullying.

Have a pleasant evening, Rebecca.

News and Notes on the

Michigan Megasite

(aka Marshall Megasite)

Or What could be the future

Kalamazoo River Recreational Area