Officials 4
LANSING (UPI) - Reducing the
speed limit to 50 mph could save 13.4
million gallons of gasoline a month in
Michigan - if penalty points are levied
against violators, energy officials said
yesterday.
That testimony prompted Sen. John
Hertel, (D-Harper Woods), to consider
introducing legislation restoring
penalty points for all speeding
violations.
Hertel said he will investigate adding
the penalty point provision to a bill
giving Gov. William Milliken broad
emergency powers to cope with an
emergency energy shortage.
PENDING AMENDMENTS would
include among those powers the
authority to reduce the state's
maximum speed limit to 50.
Several lawmakers also believe
gasoline savings could be realized if the
current 55 mph speed limit were enfor-
ced. Sen. Basil Brown, (D-Highland
Park), has gone as far as introducing a
bill requiring violators of the 55 mph
limit to spend five days in jail.
The Michigan Daily-Friday, May 11, 1979-Page 9
claim 50 mph limit may save gas
"If people are laughing at 55, 50
would be ludicrous unless we do
something about it," Hertel said.
WHEN THE basic freeway speed
limit was reduced by federal action,
state lawmakers passed legislation
stopping the assessment of penalty
points for persons caught speeding
between 55 and 70 miles per hour on
roads where the previous speed limit
was 70.
Hertel said he believes the legislature
has acted irresponsibly on the speed
limit. I
However, David Froh, head of the
Michigan Energy Administration,
urged Hertel's Environmental Affairs
Committee not to jeopardize the
emergency powers bill by making it
contingent upon approval of restoring
penalty points.
"WE BADLY need this bill," Froh
said.
The legislation would give the gover-
nor power to order a variety of energy
conservation steps in the event of
emergency shortages, including
regulations on lighting, heating and air
conditioning temperatures, speed
limits and steps to force a switch to
public transportation.
The committee is expected to vote on
the bill next week.
MICHIGAN IS expected to fall 13.5
per cent short of gasoline allocations
this month.
Froh and members of his staff said
worldwide crude oil shortages con-
tributed to the current supply problem,
but they were unable to resolve com-
mittee members' doubts about whether
the shortage is real or contrived.
"We don't have any evidence of a
manufactured shortage," Froh said.
$13.5 million for Navy 's
ELF denied bycommittee
WASHINGTON (UPI) - The House
Armed Services Committee went along
yesterday with a subcommittee
recommendation to delete $13.5 million
for fiscal 1980 for the Navy's controver-
sial submarine communication system
called ELF, Rep. Les Aspin reported.
"I hope this is the beginning of the
end for Project ELF," said Aspin who
authored the amendment in the resear-
ch and development subcommittee.
ELF HAS BEEN mothballed since
January, but prior to that it had been
tested for several years at a facility
near Clam Lake, Wis. It had been
proposed to build the system in nor-
thern Wisconsin or Upper Michigan.
But the system has been strongly op-
" 0 osedby nvirnmetalists and several
Milliken considers prison expansion congressmen whoquestioned its value.
Still pending is a congressional ap-
IONIA (UPI) - Gov. William don't want prison expansion. businesses willing to provide jobs," he propriation of $20.5 million last year
Milliken was considering proposals The senator noted Milliken would said. tifidchwoul President Carter and effective if cer
presented by community leaders for take into consideration Chrysler's Vanderlaan said that though Milliken this mC r even if
two new prisons in the area that would 4ecision to close its Lyons trim plant, did not make any commitments to the yw oney was finally recntse
help alleviate the space problems in the which will eliminate 700 jobs in the group, it was understd that when the w be enough only to continue
state corrections system. Ioniaarea. aging, over-populated Ionia State testing, Aspinsaid.
Mayor Fred Thwaites, newspaper "The governor ... was mighty hap- Reformatory is closed, a new facility
publisher James Huckle and several py to see a community asking for prison would be built in the area to ease the
other community leaders met with expansion," Vanderlaan said. "It made economic impact the loss of jobs would MUSIC FESTIVAL
Milliken, his aides and Sen. Robert for a very pleasant visit." have.
Vanderlaan, (R-Kentwood), to present "THERE ARE a number of con- Vanderlaan estimated a new VIENNA (AP)-The eighth Inter-
their proposals for a 240-bed maximum siderations which must be taken into maximum security prison would national Youth and Music Festival is to
security prison and a 500-bed medium account - whether the community is provide 300 new jobs for the area and be held here Aug. 4-Aug. 25.
security prison. big enough to handle the prison the medium security prison would During the festival, more than 60
VANDERLAAN SAID yesterday the population in the long run, whether provide about the same number. groups, choirs, orchestras, dance en-
state is looking for prison sites closer to there are enough backup services like sembles and marching bands will per-
Detroit, but that communities there citizens groups, social agencies and See MILLIKEN, Page 20 form and compete for prizes.
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