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Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sierra Club Michigan: Send a message to Congress: STOP funding for Frontier Biofuel Boondoggle!

MARQUETTE -- Michigan's 1st District Congressman Dan Benishek calls for "reducing spending and forcing the federal government to live within restraints" and says "we cannot hope to see real job growth in Northern Michigan so long as federal deficits drown out private enterprise."

You can encourage Congressman Benishek and Michigan's Senators to start at home by killing the $53 million Department of Energy proposed grant for the Frontier Renewable Energy wood-to-biofuel plant in his district.

Stopping federal subsidies for this boondoggle will save taxpayers in Michigan and nationwide more than $100 million in direct taxpayer subsidies to Frontier, including state and local taxes. Frontier wants to use our tax dollars to cut 1 million tons of Michigan trees (standing, green wood -- not waste wood) each year to feed the biofuel plant, even though it would create fewer jobs than any other forest industry investment. And in the end, the Frontier plant would use 8 percent of Michigan's annual forest growth to produce a miniscule 0.02 percent of Michigan's annual gasoline usage.

Tell Congressman Benishek and Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin that you want them to cut funding for this boondoggle -- that's the smart way to cut federal spending AND protect Michigan's future!

Editor's Note: Congressman Benishek will be traveling through the First District this week to "Meet and Greet" his constituents. During each visit, residents will have the opportunity to meet with Congressman Benishek and share with him their thoughts and concerns on legislative issues facing Congress. Casework staff will also be available to assist constituents with questions regarding federal agencies.

Congressman Benishek will visit the following locations this week. (Times and locations are taken from his Web site.):

Iron Mountain: Monday, March 21, 2011, 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 500 S. Stephenson, Ste 500

L'Anse: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Hilltop Restaurant, U.S. 41

Houghton: Tuesday, March 22, 2011, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m., Keweenaw Brewing Company, 408 Shelden Ave.

Ontonagon: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 5:30 a.m. - 6 a.m., Ontonagon City Hall, 315 Court Street

Ishpeming: Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 9 a.m. - 9:45 a.m., Ishpeming Housing Commission Activities Room, 111 Bluff Street

Bessemer: Thursday, March 24, 2011, 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., Bessemer American Legion, 1201 4th Avenue Southwest

Iron River: Thursday, March 24, 2011, 5 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Zippidy Dudas, 202 West Genesee Street

Menominee: Friday, March 25, 2011, March 25, 2011, 10:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. [sic], Spies Public Library Meeting Room One, 940 First Street

Escanaba: Friday, March 25, 2011, 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., Drifters Restaurant 701 North Lincoln St.

You can contact Sen. Carl Levin on his Web site. Click here. Sen. Debbie Stabenow also has a contact page on her Web site.

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