THE SITE of “Project Tim” near the city of Durand in Vernon Township can be seen from the intersection of Lansing Road and N. Saginaw Street. The proposed site includes approximately 1,000 acres north of Lansing Road, with the proposed site also rumored to border I-69 to the north, Durand Road to the west, and Brown Road to the east, although a definitive project footprint has yet to be established. A section of the Canadian National Railroad that is leased by the Huron Eastern Railway also runs through the site and is located on the far left in the picture.
(Independent File Photo/Graham Sturgeon)
by Graham Sturgeon, co-editor
New Steel International CEO John Schultes has revealed that his Ohio-based steel technology company and several “interested parties” from the U.S. automotive and energy sectors, plus international supporters, are attempting to bring “Project Tim” to the Durand area. New Steel International (NSI) plans to use a multi-billion-dollar loan from the U.S. Department of Energy to build a combined energy and steel plant, which is being touted as the “cleanest facility of its kind.”
Schultes reported Tuesday, Dec. 5 that NSI, with the help of Troy Crowe and Sheridan Realty & Auction Co., has secured purchase option agreements for more than 1,000 acres of residential and agricultural property located northeast of the city of Durand in Vernon Township. Schultes noted that the project may not require all the land that has been optioned, and at least one property owner had still not signed an option agreement.
NSI will employ a “unique combination of proven and clean technologies” to produce electricity and high-strength steel for the U.S. market, while maintaining low emission levels. The technology used in the state-of-the-art facility will limit carbon emissions and expel “clean off gas.” The process will produce a surplus of electric power and thermal energy that will be redistributed into the community. The plant will produce “no waste that will need to be disposed of,” states Schultes.
City of Durand officials revealed earlier in 2017 that construction of Phase I of the project is slated to cost between four and six billion dollars, although that number cannot be accurately assessed until a final design layout has been decided upon.
Schultes has decades of experience in the steel industry, working primarily with U.S. Steel and Nakornthai Strip Mill Public Company Limited. He then brought his engineering talents and knowledge of the steel industry to Middletown, OH, the home of NSI since 1999. In addition to producing high-strength “Next Generation” steel, for the past 10-plus years NSI has focused on sustainability and climate change. Although the products that will come out of the proposed Project Tim facility would rival anything on the world market, Schultes predicts the plant will be more notable for its energy efficiency and renewable energy capabilities.
Though the revelation of NSI as the primary project developer is big news, many questions still remain. Some Durand-area residents are concerned about the plant’s water source and speculate that the amount of water needed for a large-scale coal-burning operation could overwhelm the water infrastructure of the city of Durand, or deplete the water reserves of Holiday Shores and Leisure Lake, which are located just north of the proposed project site.
There are also concerns regarding the potential increase in road and rail traffic that would, presumably, accompany a project of this size. Many fear noise, air and water pollution. With the plant estimated to initially employ 800-plus workers, along with the many other supplemental businesses the plant would support, many worry that their quiet, rural, agricultural community could be negatively transformed.
Unfortunately for those still dissatisfied with the lack of details, that seems to be par for the course for projects of the magnitude of Project Tim. With so many moving parts and so many hurdles to clear, large-scale projects such as Project Tim can be derailed by the minutest detail. Schultes has been a part of several projects that never made it out of the excessive planning stages, which has taught him to be cautious about releasing details prematurely.
Once funding is secured and the necessary land is obtained, NSI can finish site work and design, apply for permits and licenses, request zoning changes and begin openly working with the community. Schultes plans to hold community forums to unveil the plans, explain the technology, and gather input from local residents. As previously reported, an estimated 10.5 million man-hours will be required during the construction of Phase I.
Schultes has said in the past that his production model has not been utilized because it is too clean and efficient; the product too superior to others on the market. He is confident that once he is able to fully unveil his plans, Durand-area residents will embrace the project. Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership President/CEO Justin Horvath, who played a major role in bringing Project Tim to Shiawassee County, is already planning the community forums. Schultes, however, shared Dec. 5 that he does not expect any new details to emerge before the end of 2017.
