Over the past few years, Michigan taxpayers have been introduced to the idea of corporate mega sites.
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A megasite is a large parcel of land, at least 1,000 acres, that is ready for large-scale industrial development. Certified megasites some say help attract economic development because they can minimize the risks of selecting a site for large plants or facilities requiring massive space and infrastructure.
The following are the locations of Michigan megasites:
1. Mundy Township, Genesee County – The township board is in the preliminary stages of rezoning a huge tract of land (981 acres) for industrial. This land is currently zoned for farmland and residential.
2. Eagle Township, Clinton County – The area (1,492 acres) is south of I-96. Michigan State University owns a portion of the land and is interested in selling to a developer.
3. Marshall Township, Calhoun County – Ford wants to develop 1,900 acres for a battery plant along 2.5 miles of the Kalamazoo River.
4. Vernon/Durand Townships, Shiawassee County – Preliminary funding of $680 million from a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), passed through from the MEDC, is for planning the development of a mega site.
5. Green Charter Township, Mecosta County – The Chinese subsidiary Gotion, Inc., plans to build a battery component plant. Gotion states its project will be worth $2.36 billion and bring 2,300 good-paying jobs to the region. Other sources state the average pay will be only $45,000. A review by the U.S. Treasury determined the development by Gotion does not violate national security and would not result in control of the company by a foreign government. This conclusion is debatable.
I talked to Marjorie Steele who is a community activist who has been fighting megasites across the site. Watch interview below: