Climate czar John Kerry wrong again: SD wind turbine plant to shut doors, 300 jobs lost

A major wind blade manufacturing plant is closing its doors in Aberdeen, South Dakota despite Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry claiming there would be plentiful jobs in the solar and wind turbine industries.

Kerry made those claims just months ago as the Keystone Pipeline was nixed by President Joe Biden and many jobs were lost in the coal and hydraulic fracturing markets.

The Molded Fiber Glass company will shut its doors permanently in less than two months and roughly 300 jobs will be lost. The plant, open since 2007, produces wind turbine blades. It will remain in operation until August 6, fulfilling existing orders here in the United States.

One family member of a worker stated that they found out about the closure last Monday. They were shocked and confused when the word came down of their impending unemployment.

“They should be swimming in orders right now,” the woman said, according to the Washington Examiner.

Employees will be privately informed when their last day will be at the plant.

This is not the first time a shutdown has been threatened at the company. In 2017, MFG was prepared to cut 400 jobs at the plant and shut down due to “proposed revisions to tax policies.” Republican Sen. John Thune came to the rescue by revising the 2017 tax bill, making it more palatable to the industry at the time. He also stated in an email that, in a market that is receiving record investments, it is troubling that the growth was not turning into American jobs. He criticized Biden for allowing Beijing to corner the market in the industry.

Thune is stepping up once again to fight the Biden administration on China’s control of the market. He introduced an amendment last month to the Democrats’ expansive energy tax credit bill that would ensure American manufacturers aren’t undercut by Chinese suppliers who use low-cost labor while spewing out tons of pollution they aren’t held accountable for. Those were, in fact, in line with the reasons given by MFG for closing down their plant.

The company released a statement on the closure and blamed changing market conditions, proposed tax policy revision, and foreign competition for its downfall.

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, seven out of the top ten wind turbine manufacturers are Chinese companies. While General Electric in the U.S. is number one, it is closely followed by Goldwind of China. A study done by Bloomberg shows that over half of the globe’s newly installed wind power capacity was manufactured in China in 2020.

Gordon Tomb, who is a Sr. Fellow at the Commonwealth Foundation, tweeted: “If furloughed coal miners are to build wind turbines what do laid off wind energy workers do? #BidenEconomy.”

Tim Burchett, a congressman from Tennessee, had this to say: “The new regulations unfortunately seem to favor China and the Communist Chinese Party. #CCP.”

TheTimesRaChanging on Twitter also commented: “Here ya go John Kerry! More programmers hitting the job market thanks to Sleepy Joe.”

Just a day following MFG’s announcement, TC Energy in Canada announced it is terminating the Keystone Pipeline project as well.

Both of these energy issues that have been killed due to Kerry and Biden’s posturing on energy have hit South Dakota hard economically.

“We are a smallish community of 28,000 people, so 300 jobs is a big deal,” said another family member of a worker. “Granted, two facilities in town, 3M and Banner Engineering have recently doubled capacity, so most of the hourly employees should be absorbed by that,” she noted. “However, some of these people have been with the company since 2008. How do you start over after 13 years?”

“It’s disappointing to lose any employer in town, especially such a large one, but we will get through it,” Aberdeen Mayor Travis Schaunaman vowed in a statement.

Gov. Kristi Noem also issued a statement: “I am deeply saddened by the news of MFG’s closure today. We will immediately send a rapid response team to stand by those individuals and families impacted and help them find new opportunities to pursue a fulfilling job or new career path.”

As more manufacturing jobs and plants leave the U.S. for China and other “cheaper” foreign pastures, many in South Dakota and across the nation are saddened to see American workers lose their livelihoods, not due to shortages or catastrophes, but allegedly due to political progressive grandstanding.

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