Mancelona Renewable Resources based out of Traverse City is behind the bio-mass plant. They say the multi-million dollar project will be an economic boost especially to an area that is in desperate need of jobs.
MANCELONA -- During the past two years, Mancelona has taken an economic beating. With major businesses closing their doors, hundreds of jobs were lost...but now a new bio-mass plant will bring some of those jobs back into town.
"We're thrilled. Every new job in Mancelona is a gift and we're grateful," says owner of Shirley's Café, Shirley Tracey.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment issued an air permit for a 36-megawatt wood-fired power plant to be built in Mancelona
The developers, Mancelona Renewable Resources out of Traverse City say the plant would go just south of Elder Road and East of US 131 in Traverse City.
Once the plant is up and running it's expected to create 25 to 30 local jobs and about 300 temporary jobs.
"We need jobs and we'll take all we can get....I don't know how much worse it can get. So, every time I hear about a new job, I'm thrilled," says Tracey.
It's not only businesses that are looking forward to the economic boost the biomass plant will bring. Residents like Ray Petersen say jobs are exactly what Mancelona needs to get back on track.
"I started hearing about it two years ago and I was like 'yes' do it now, do it a year ago....We need jobs in Mancelona really badly. This is like the most devastated town in the state I think," says Petersen.
Petersen says he works 11 miles outside of town because he simply couldn't find a job in Mancelona. With dozens of jobs on their way, he's hoping the community will see a change.
"Any jobs coming into Mancelona can't do any wrong," says Petersen.
7&4 News also spoke with the Mancelona Township supervisor about the biomass plant. He says it's a real positive for the entire community and thinks it's just the beginning of an industrial expansion.
Mancelona Renewable Resources says energy produced from the plant would go into Cadillac based-Wolverine Power's grid. They say construction will get underway towards the end of this year.
