The Michigan Chamber of Commerce today reacted to the legal opinion issued late last Friday by Attorney General Mike Cox in which he stated that Governor Granholm "exceeded her legal authority" when she issued an Executive Directive to create new legal requirements for the construction of coal-fired power plants in Michigan.

"Our 7,000 members employ over one million Michigan residents," said Michigan Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley. "Everyone who lives and works in this state needs an energy policy that is consistent, clear and reasonable. The Governor's attempt to rewrite the energy bill after she signed it into law last year created great uncertainty about the regulatory process to build new electric generating capacity in Michigan.

"On behalf of the Michigan Chamber, I want to express our appreciation to Attorney General Mike Cox for his decisive action," Studley added. "This opinion reaffirms state government's system of checks and balances, that there are three separate and equal branches of state government, not just one."

"We would also like to thank State Representatives Kevin Elsenheimer (Kewadin) and Kenneth Horn (Frankenmuth) for requesting the AG's opinion," said Doug Roberts, Jr., Director of Environmental & Energy Policy for the Michigan Chamber. "Governor Granholm's Executive Directive ran counter to a bipartisan energy package lawmakers approved in 2008.

"We're open to having wind and solar as part of the strategy to provide affordable and reliable power in our state, but an abundant natural resource like coal, combined with modern technology, must also be a part of that strategy," Roberts concluded.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 50th year as a statewide business organization, now representing about 7,000 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. It is only one of four state chambers of commerce in the nation accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

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SOURCE: The Michigan Chamber of Commerce

CONTACT: Doug Roberts, Jr., +1-517-371-2100, for The Michigan Chamber of
Commerce