Stamper: "The DRIC/NITC is a fatally flawed project"

Ambassador Bridge President offers a different perspective, addresses the facts of both projects

Grand Rapids - Monday, in advance of Governor Snyder's "anti-ballot initiative bus-tour" kick-off speech to the Economic Club of Grand Rapids, Ambassador Bridge President Dan Stamper delivered the following remarks during a media availability in Grand Rapids.

"Governor Snyder and Canada have major problems associated with the proposed DRIC/NITC government bridge to Canada. None of them have anything to do with Matty Moroun. The Governor's problem is the DRIC/NITC is a fatally flawed project.

"Here are the facts:

"The government bridge supporters had to use highly overstated traffic projections to get the project going and reality has proven them wrong.

"The government bridge supporters grossly overestimate financial projections in an attempt to keep the DRIC alive.

"The government bridge supporters had to ignore the risk of building a bridge on top of salt mines and brine wells. Matty Moroun warned them of this fact.

"The Governor will have to condemn hundreds of Detroit residents' homes and businesses.

"The Governor has agreed to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to prop up this fatally flawed project that Michigan can't afford.

"The Governor has requested a waiver from the U.S. Federal "But America" Law in an effort to breathe life back into the project.

"Canada has proposed changes to Canadian Federal Law to protect the project from public inquiry as to environmental law and public lawsuits.

"The Governor has threatened to trample on the public's right to vote on the bridge, which would ensure oversight. Matty Moroun has supported the right to vote.

"The Governor had to promise community benefits, which he had no authority in law to promise (and which now are off the table), in an effort to resurrect the project.

"The Governor and Canada signed a contract that is not authorized by legislation.

"Taxpayers, both Michigan and Canadian, will be on the hook for a undetermined amount of upfront cost, cost overruns in construction and future profits for a would-be private investor.

"The DRIC/NITC was, is, and will be a fatally flawed project. Time and time again the Governor tried to sell the bridge as a sound financial investment that will benefit Michigan for decades to come. And time and time again the DRIC/NITC bridge project has proven to be fatally flawed. It should have been dismissed on its own facts, but instead the Governor blames Matty Moroun and the Ambassador Bridge for his inability to get legislative approval.

"Governor Snyder has had to throw American workers under the bus with these false promises and faulty premises. Further proof this is simply a bridge we don't need and can't afford. It's time for politicians to stop standing in the way of progress by protecting this boondoggle. When they do, the Ambassador Bridge is ready and willing to invest in a state of the art new border crossing.

"Governor Snyder, stop blaming the Ambassador Bridge for your problems trying to sell the NITC - look at the project, you will not be killing a good project. It died a long time ago."