Michigan officials approved millions of dollars in incentives for some electric vehicle-related projects today.
The largest amount went toward site readiness for a Ford battery project in Calhoun County.
Michigan State University Professor Victoria McGuffin, however, says there are environmental concerns.
“The soil in this area is excellent. It has a lot of organic matter and not very much clay, which makes it excellent for farming but a very poor place to site an industrial manufacturing site.” said McGuffin.
But State officials like Terri Fitzpatrick says there are environmental considerations baked into the project.
“About 250 acres between the railroad tracks and the river is actually being preserved as a public conservation area.” said Fitzpatrick.
Other projects receiving money include semiconductor and battery operations in Southeast Michigan.