A voter-led petition seeking to repeal a law that allowed the state to seize local control of large-scale wind and solar projects has received Michigan Farm Bureau’s support.
The bills, backed by Gov. Whitmer and approved last fall, transferred decisions on zoning and siting for energy projects from the state’s 1,240 local townships to the Michigan Public Service Commission — consisting of three members appointed by the governor.
Citizens for Local Choice — a broad coalition of bipartisan voters across the state — is leading the petition effort to reverse that, with plans to collect the 356,958 valid signatures needed by May 29 for the proposal to be placed on the November 2024 general election ballot.
If enacted, this proposal will allow local units of government to continue determining their own standards regarding setback distance, structure height, and the amount of light and sound emitted by renewable energy facilities.
It would also allow them to exercise final authority over the construction of energy facilities within their jurisdictions.
Michigan Farm Bureau’s member-approved policy opposes any actions that would eliminate local control on siting for commercial renewable energy projects.
“The issue at hand is not about whether or not you’re in favor of large-scale wind and solar projects,” said MFB President Carl Bednarski.
“It’s about whether you support local control — and ultimately respect the local decision-making process. We urge our members to make their voices heard and help us in getting this initiative on the ballot to put the power back in the hands of locally elected officials.”
It’s important for those wishing to help get the petition on the ballot to know the regulations involved with providing their signature, said MFB Government Relations Specialist Matt Kapp.
“People taking part in the petition must sign their county’s specific petition form for their signature to be counted,” Kapp added.
“There are many rules in place about how signatures must be collected, so we’re simply asking our members to find an opportunity to sign the petition through a designated signature collector. You can reach out to your County Farm Bureau office to learn more about how to do so in your county.”
Kapp added that if the petition circulator does not comply with all the requirements of the Michigan election law for petition circulators, any signature obtained by that petition circulator on that petition is invalid and will not be counted.
Learn more about how to sign and circulate petitions here and read a list of dos and don’ts here.
In addition to a statewide outreach from Citizens for Local Choice, MFB regional managers will also be circulating petitions and MFB members will have the opportunity to sign the petition at the organization’s upcoming Lansing Legislative Seminar and Young Farmer Leaders Conference.
Click here to learn more about how to volunteer to help Citizens for Local Choice.
According to a poll conducted by Michigan Townships Association in October 2023, an overwhelming majority of Michiganders — more than 87% — agreed that permitting for utility-scale renewable energy should remain at the local level.