Editor’s note: following are comments made by State Rep. Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City, chairman of the House Energy and Technology Committee)  at the Oct. 6 rally in Lansing sponsored by the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council.

I am pleased to be here to show my continued support for investments in new clean coal power in Michigan to create jobs and secure our energy future.

Almost one year ago a new energy future was signed into law that would require investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and was designed to pave the way for investments in new baseload electricity, like clean coal, to support Michigan and the nation’s growing energy needs.

These new laws were bipartisan and supported by an unprecedented coalition of labor, business, environmental and other government leaders.

Flash forward to today.  Efforts by companies to get the needed permits and approvals have been manipulated for over two years – and have been sidetracked by special interests that have a tunnel vision about our future.

And these same interests will often state publicly we need to follow the lead of other states and countries – states like Wisconsin or countries like Germany.

In both of these places we see great growth in the area of renewable energy and energy efficiency.  But what critics of Michigan’s energy laws fail to say and certainly don’t want anyone to know is both Wisconsin and Germany are building clean coal plants.

In fact, there are a total of 23 new coal plants under construction in the United States alone and 14 coal plants are scheduled to go online in 2012 in Germany.

Europe in total could have up to 50 new coal plants in the next few years.  And Wisconsin is completing three large coal plants in that state that many of our state’s building trades, many of you here today, helped to build.  Even President Obama’s Commerce Secretary at an event in Saginaw, Michigan acknowledged that coal has a place in our nation’s future.

In a letter to lawmakers yesterday one of these groups wants to ignore the facts I just mentioned and in this letter they go on to say “If Michigan builds even one new coal plant, the promise of thousands of new jobs from clean energy will be lost forever.”  This is despite the fact that other states and countries leading in renewable investment are also building significant new baseload.

Some here at the capitol will go on to say these aren’t the right jobs for Michigan…they aren’t green or good enough.   As one of the authors of the state’s renewable portfolio standard, I find those comments absurd.

In a state that has lost over 700,000 jobs in the past nine years with 15% unemployment, I want not only green jobs.  I want any job that pays green.

The type of green that will help a family pay a mortgage.

The type of Green that will help provide a family medical insurance and pay medical bills…green that will make sure that families can afford to buy their kids clothes for school…

And the type of green that will help a family buy an automobile made right here in Michigan.

Why do other states, countries and even continents get what some in Michigan don’t… they seem to understand that to insure the success of renewables and the reliability of our energy grid that new baseload power is essential to fuel the new greener economy.

They know that to protect our security as a nation, to limit our dependence on foreign energy sources and to power the cars of tomorrow, that coal has an important place in our nation’s future.

I don’t think it is any coincidence that some of the largest companies that desire to build renewables are locating in countries and states that are investing in a balanced view of energy – one that is reliable, greener and includes baseload power.

These businesses know that a balanced view of energy creates reliable, cost-effective power for ratepayers which is good for both business and families.

These new plants proposed for Michigan will be built cleaner, more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and will create jobs today.  That is why the Department of Environmental Quality needs to act now.

If they don’t thousands of jobs will go away.  Then we will buy more power from other states, others state will build power plants that our ratepayers will pay for and the outsourcing of Michigan jobs will continue.  And that would be just plain wrong.

We need the DEQ and other members of the administration to stop standing in the way and playing games with the law and agreements that were made last year.

If they support a green economy they need to recognize that other world leaders in renewable energy that business, other governments and labor support a balanced view of energy – one that has reliable baseload electric generation backing up green power and green manufacturing.

This is a winning strategy for our economy, for jobs, for Michigan and our future.

Thank you for making the trip to your state capitol today.  I stand with you.