LANSING – State Representative Mike Lahti (D-Hancock) today announced that Hematite Township has received a $600,000 state grant to extend a publicly owned fire suppression water line, which will allow Pine River Hardwood to construct a new sawmill that will bring 30 new jobs to the area.
Lahti and other state and local officials will take part in a check presentation ceremony on Friday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. at the Hematite Township Hall, 109 W. Pine St. in Amasa.
"There are few places in America that provide residents with a better quality of life than the Upper Peninsula," Lahti said. "We have an abundance of natural resources, safe and clean neighborhoods and high-quality schools. What we need are more good-paying jobs, and I congratulate Hematite Township and Pine River Hardwood for partnering on a project that will put our residents to work."
The $600,000 Community Development Block Grant was approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund Board. The township will contribute $200,000, and the Michigan Department of Transportation will assist the township with road and rail improvements. The funding will allow Pine River Hardwood to install a required fire protection system.
"The foresting industry has always played a vital role in the economy of the Upper Peninsula," Lahti said. "We need to support our local businesses and give them the tools they need to compete. Keeping and creating good-paying jobs is our most urgent need, and this grant will help us make gains in that area."