Opposition to the Gotion EV battery plant in Green Charter Township continues to grow with presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy joining the ranks.
Gotion and the township approved a land agreement back in August that laid out the terms and obligations for both parties. While the agreement has inched the project closer to groundbreaking, people at Wednesday night’s rally continued to protest the plant.
The Mecosta Economic and Security Alliance organized the rally. A member of the group and former congressman Pete Hoekstra says they’re hopeful Ramaswamy’s attention will grow their effort.
“It’s a great opportunity to have a presidential candidate come in and talk about the risks from China. How Gotion coming into a local community is a national security risk,” Hoekstra explained.
Ramaswamy began the night reading the a pledge found in Gotion’s Articles of Association where workers pledge their loyalty to communism and the Chinese Communist Party.
“I had to read this twice to make sure this crap is what they’re making their employees read at their parent company in China,” Ramaswamy exclaimed. “Over my dead body will that come here to the United States of America.”
Ramaswamy said if elected, he would sign a declaration of independence from China and “make sure that god forsaken plant never gets built.”
The agreement between Green Township and Gotion prohibits any activity that encourages a political philosophy on its workers.
The Vice President of Gotion North American Manufacturing, Chuck Thelen said they have a third party conducting an in-depth environmental analysis of the property. He assured the construction and operation of the plant will comply with all environmental regulations.
Gotion will also have to pass an environmental review by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
However, despite the assurance, Ramaswamy, Hoekstra and people at Wednesday night’s rally continue to have doubts and are hoping to keep the project from moving forward.
Full Green Charter Township, Gotion Land Agreement
- Gave area residents priority over new jobs for the first two weeks.
- Limiting traffic congestion on public roads by constructing an on-site staging area for trucks/trailers
- All emergency services to the facility are paid for by Gotion for the next 30 years
- Gotion will help pay the township’s legal fees surrounding the startup of the project
- Create a dark sky design to limit light pollution
- Recycle raw materials and manufacturing by-product to prevent environmental impacts
- Prohibit activity that encourages any political philosophy among its employees or the community.
