Late last month, grassroots activists in Michigan quietly won a major battle against a powerful Chinese company seeking to set up shop in their backyard – proving yet again that determined Americans are a force to be reckoned with.
The story begins three years ago, when President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (which ironically led to higher inflation), unleashing a flood of taxpayer-funded subsidies for so-called “green” energy. That included electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturers.
Despite public posturing by the Biden administration about investing in American companies, Democrats’ spending spree opened the floodgates for foreign firms, including many with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), to set up shop in the United States. One of those firms was Gotion High-Tech, which announced plans for a massive EV battery plant near Big Rapids, Michigan, under its U.S. subsidiary, Gotion Inc.
In September 2022, Gotion announced a $2.4 billion plan to build an EV battery plant, fueled by $175 million in direct grants and state incentives from the Michigan legislature. For the families who lived near the proposed project, it felt like a betrayal: lawmakers seemed to ignore local opposition and the serious logistical concerns and environmental risks associated with EV battery plants.
“The CCP prepared itself well for this moment,” said former German diplomat and retired Professor of Political Science Joachim Groessner, referring to the bonanza of “green” subsidies under the Biden administration. “Since President Obama’s tenure, they knew that the Democrat Party’s economic ideas were deeply rooted in the so-called ‘transition economy’ that required enormous subsidies to succeed.”
“The Chinese have been building their industrial capacity to take over markets,” he continued, explaining that China now has an overbuilt industrial sector that needs to expand into other countries to survive. “Their eyes and ears were wide open when Democrats spoke about U.S. plans for a ‘climate-friendly’ economy.”
Scientific studies indicate that EV battery production carries significant risks for both human health and the environment. Workers can be exposed to lead dust, which damages the nervous system, as well as particulate matter from cobalt and nickel, which is linked to respiratory illnesses and cancer.
In 2022, Chinese EV manufacturer BYD was investigated following reports of uncontrolled nosebleeds among children residing near a battery production plant in Changsha, China. Another report from Princeton University found that EV battery production emits sulfur dioxide, which can cause cardiovascular issues. According to that study, emissions from the production of EV batteries were responsible for 1.4 million premature deaths in China and 1.7 million premature deaths in India.
Unsurprisingly, many Americans who lived near the planned Gotion plant didn’t want their communities suffering the same fate. Amid mounting public backlash, voters in Green Charter Township, home to Big Rapids, held a recall election in November 2023 that resulted in the removal of five township board members who had greenlit the Gotion plant. The two other members of the seven-person board resigned prior to the election.
Outraged residents made clear that the board did not seek their input before going ahead with the plan. In place of the recalled board members, voters installed leaders who opposed the project. The new board promptly voted to rescind the resolution approving the extension of water service from the city of Big Rapids to the Gotion site and canceled the permits necessary to move forward.
“When 92 percent of Mecosta County residents oppose the Chinese battery plant in our community, the board of commissioners should have listened,” Chris Zimmerman, one of the newly elected board members, stated. “As long as [we] are on the commission, we will no longer ignore the will of the people.”
Other Michigan political figures also took note. Following the recall vote, Republican Congressman John Moolenaar introduced the No Official Giveaways of Taxpayers’ Income to Oppressive Nations (No GOTION) Act, which prohibits companies linked to the CCP from receiving tax credits and subsidies. “If America is going to have a secure energy supply, we cannot give federal tax credits to CCP-controlled companies and allow them to expand their influence in the U.S.,” Moolenaar stated.
Gotion responded to the local government pulling the plug on the project with a lawsuit alleging a breach of contract. A judge initially sided with the company, issuing an injunction ordering the township to abide by the original agreement.
But the township then appealed, and a court reversed the decision. Late last month, Bridge Michigan reported that the battery plant is “dead after years of controversy.” Local residents took on Goliath, and they won.
The Michigan community rallied around groups like No on Gotion, led by Lori Brock, whose horse farm stood in the path of lithium dust from the proposed plant. Brock’s passionate advocacy drew bipartisan attention, with Democrat Senator Elissa Slotkin and former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers visiting her farm in solidarity. When news broke that the project had stalled, Brock declared the community’s rejection loud and clear, calling it “a day of celebration as the state finally unplugged the EV program.”
This victory in Michigan could become a blueprint for more American communities to push back against CCP influence, even if some politicians at the state and the federal level are eager to take Chinese money. It is a reminder that ultimately, America belongs to Americans – and U.S. national and economic security are not for sale.
Ben Solis is the pen name of an international affairs journalist, historian, and researcher.
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