MECOSTA COUNTY, Mich. — Gotion Inc. is still planning on building on almost 500 acres in Mecosta County.
Mary Engelsman, who lives near the township, joined hundreds in Big Rapids Wednesday night protesting Chinese company Gotion's plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant in Green Charter Township.
"There's a lot of community members that have concerns: Environmental, health, the ownership of the company," said Engelsman.
Rhonda Lange, who also lives in the area, is concerned about any Chinese Communist Party involvement with the publicly traded company.
"So it is a big issue," said Lange. "Number one, environment and the connection to China. It's not about not having new jobs in the community. It's about the community having a voice and what those jobs are."
The protest came hours before a panel discussion involving Green Township, Gotion, The Right Place in Grand Rapids, and others involved in the project.
"There is no communist plot within Gotion to make Big Rapids a center to spread communism," said Thelen. "There's multiple claims that Gotion will bring communism to Big Rapids and will bring anywhere from 300 to 11,000 Chinese nationals to run the plant. This is false."
According to Gotion executives, the plant will bring more than 2,300 jobs to the area within the next eight to 10 years.
Green Township Supervisor Jim Chapman and his board of trustees voted unanimously to support of the project in December.
"You're talking about an area with 19.1% poverty rate in this county," said Chapman. "Okay, you are talking about a over the next five years this bringing 2,350 permanent jobs, before it does that it is going to bring hundreds of temporary construction jobs."
Thelen assured those in attendance, Gotion will be taking environmental responsibility seriously.
"The environmental codes are very important to us," said Thelen. "I'm probably about an 18-year member of Pheasants Forever. I've done an awful lot of projects to improve the habitat. I'm not going to go through all that trouble in my life just to wreck it."
Engelsman, however, asked for those on the project to take a step back before the estimated July 2023 groundbreaking date.
"Let's look, let's see. Let's have some studies done," said Engelsman. "Not just from one side but from both sides. Let's back it up. Let's stop. Let's slow down."
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