While Congress turns its back on one $20 billion plan to help modernize the sputtering Great Lakes economy, Michigan Representative Mike Rogers intends to introduce a second, entirely separate $20 billion proposal to, well, help modernize the sputtering Great Lakes economy.
Rep. Rogers this week will present a plan to provide auto manufacturers with as much as $20 billion in federal loans to innovate, develop, and commercialize the next generation of sustainable transportation technologies for the nation and the world, according to a recent report written by Ken Thomas and published in the Detroit Free Press.
The national commitment could help speed the transformation of the Great Lakes region - the epicenter of global automotive design and engineering - from a lagging, rust-ridden rhinoceros into a forward-thinking, knowledge-driven, galloping gazelle ready to compete in the worldwide economy.
So could a separate $20 billion proposal introduced earlier this year to launch a full scale rehabilitation of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The plan seeks a federal investment to catalyze urban waterfront redevelopment and establish more inviting places to live and do business; modernize ancient sewers to keep beaches clean; and rid rivers and harbors of toxic contamination that depress adjacent property values. The public works project could also spur the development of the lucrative water tech industry.
Yet Congress has yet to give it a serious look. We'll see how Rep. Roger's plan is received in D.C.
