Governor Jennifer Granholm in late March identified 47 environmental cleanup projects to be completed around the state as part of her plan to create tens of thousands of jobs and jumpstart Michigan's economy.

"In communities across Michigan, valuable land-which could be used to spur economic development-sits idle as a result of environmental contamination," said Granholm. "This plan not only puts scores of Michigan women and men to work in a variety of jobs, from the skilled trades to service and sales, but it accelerates cleanup of many of these contaminated sites. This is a plan to create new opportunities for economic development around the state that will put shovels in the ground and paychecks in workers' pockets this construction season."

Under Granholm's plan, 47 toxic sites will share $38 million in funding through the Clean Michigan Initiative bond program. Among those sites are five in Wayne County that will share $4.6 million; six sites in Kent County that will share $2 million; two projects in Muskegon County that will share $2.4 million; and three projects in Livingston County that will share $2.2 million in funding.

In addition to the $38 million in environmental projects identified today, the Jobs Today Initiative includes two other environmental cleanup programs:

• $75 million in funding of Brownfield grants and loans for cleanup and redevelopment, for which local communities must apply;
  
  
• $124 million in funding from the Refined Petroleum Fund for cleanup of polluted and abandoned gas stations that pose a threat to public safety.
  

"This is an excellent opportunity for local communities to take action on brownfields, and we are hopeful they will take full advantage of this program and apply for these funds," Granholm said.