St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

Joseph Cella of the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group announced that a Michigan Supreme Court Act 425 ruling strengthens township control of the Marshall megasite, revives constitutional claims, and increases scrutiny of the Ford-CATL deal, according to a statement on X.

"In Marshall, the city's unilateral override flouts this framework, treating township land as a disposable asset for Ford's ambitions," said Cella, Director. "he Supreme Court's invocation of Clam Lake Township clarified that Act 425 agreements empower local units to jointly negotiate ordinances. The megasite land temporarily transferred from Marshall Township is not city land, it's township land. This ruling revives the opponents' constitutional claims under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act."

Michigan’s Act 425 allows local governments to transfer land jurisdiction for economic projects. According to WWMT News, the Michigan Supreme Court’s remand of the Marshall megasite case directs lower courts to reconsider residents’ rezoning challenge under that law. The suit alleges procedural missteps involving petitions and city-township authority in the Ford BlueOval project approval process.

According to Reuters, Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park in Marshall represents a scaled investment of roughly $3.5 billion, with capacity reduced to 20 GWh and 1,700 expected jobs. Michigan cut incentives from $1.03 billion to $409 million as production moved to a 2026 start using licensed CATL LFP battery technology. The adjustment reflects softer electric vehicle demand and evolving federal eligibility guidance.

In 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, only whether one is "in effect," affirming that such agreements may include zoning and service terms. This decision continues to guide Michigan’s interlocal land-use disputes, according to Justia Law.

Joseph James Cella, a former U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu (2019–2021), now serves as Director and co-founder of the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group. He focuses on China-related economic and national security policy through testimony and public advocacy, according to his U.S. House Oversight Committee biography.

The Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group was founded in 2023 by Ambassadors Joseph Cella and Peter Hoekstra. It monitors and reports on PRC/CCP-linked activities in Michigan’s economy and supply chains, especially in the electric vehicle sector. Its mission and leadership are detailed in Michigan House testimony materials.