Great Lakes Wire

Joseph Cella, director of the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group, said that a recent decision by the Michigan Supreme Court strengthens local opposition to Ford's Marshall project. He emphasized the necessity of limiting U.S. exposure to China's electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, as noted in a statement on X.

"A recent ruling from the Michigan Supreme Court handed a crucial victory to everyday citizens in Marshall Township, breathing new life into their fight against the Ford Motor Company's $3.5 billion Blue Oval Battery Park," said Cella. "At its core, the Marshall dispute revolves around a brazen end-run around democratic safeguards. The Supreme Court's invocation of Clam Lake Township v. Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs cuts through the fog machine of Whitmer, Ford and CATL. The Marshall revival is a clarion call for federal action."

The Michigan Supreme Court has revived a lawsuit filed by residents of Marshall Township against Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park. The court vacated an earlier dismissal by an appeals court and ordered reconsideration based on the 2017 Clam Lake Township precedent. The lawsuit alleges that local officials mishandled rezoning and petitions related to Act 425 land-transfer agreements, raising questions about municipal authority and ballot access. This development was reported by WWMT News.

According to Reuters, Ford Motor Co. has reduced its plans for the Marshall BlueOval Battery Park from 35 gigawatt-hours (GWh) to 20 GWh, consequently decreasing projected job creation from 2,500 to 1,700 positions. As a result, Michigan cut incentives from $1.03 billion to $409 million. The plant is now expected to start operations in 2026 and will produce lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells using licensed technology from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), reflecting decreased demand for EVs and adjusted state subsidy policies.

In the case of Clam Lake Township v. Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (2017), the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the State Boundary Commission cannot determine the validity of Act 425 agreements but can only assess whether they are "in effect." This decision reinforced that such agreements may include zoning and service provisions, thereby limiting state interference and enhancing local autonomy.

Joseph Cella served as U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu from 2019 to 2021 before co-founding the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group in 2023. He has since provided advice on economic and security policy concerning People's Republic of China (PRC) influence and testified before Congress on risks related to sub-national foreign interference.

The Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group was established in 2023 by Ambassadors Joseph Cella and Peter Hoekstra. It monitors PRC/Chinese Communist Party (CCP) economic and political activities in Michigan with a mission to protect state interests through research, testimony, and policy engagement regarding foreign-influence risks.