Some Michigan lawmakers are up in arms, demanding answers and pink slips from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources about their decision to use state land for solar energy farms, including here in Northern Michigan.
Lawmakers like State Representatives Ken Borton from Gaylord, Mike Hoadley of Au Gres and State Senators Michelle Hoitenga from Manton and John Damoose of Harbor Springs are calling for mass firings within the department after discovering plans for a solar energy farm near Gaylord in Otsego County.
State Senator Michele Hoitenga said she and other lawmakers until last week, they knew nothing about this proposed solar energy farm near Gaylord.
“Because of all of the secrecy and because of the way that they’ve carried this out, we feel like they’ve crossed a line and that there should be some firings,” said Hoitenga.
She said they have many concerns.
“They’re losing their state land, for recreation and hunting and hiking and all those things we do here in northern Michigan. There should be, some accountability, for what they’re doing, accountability to the people,” said Hoitenga.
She said it makes no sense to push a green initiative by clear cutting trees.
“You are literally taking away the beautiful green land to replace with black plastic and silicone. Panels. It’s completely the opposite of what they’re calling it. It’s not green energy,” said Hoitenga.
Scott Whitcomb, the director of the office of public land use with the DNR said they try to find locations where the environmental impacts would be the most minimal.
“A lot of this land has already been cleared. And part of it had been hit by a tornado and had already been salvaged through a commercial timber harvest,” said Whitcomb.
Whitcomb also said as far as the accusations about the lack of transparency, this project is in the initial stages.
He said the DNR did reach out to township officials but hadn’t started the public notification process yet.
“There was an interview that sort of broke the story before, the public notice process actually started. But we’re more than happy to work with lawmakers at any time in managing our natural resources, for the benefit of the state.
He also said this isn’t the only area the DNR is looking at for solar energy farms.
Dickinson Township in the UP and in Roscommon County, right near the DNR Conservation Airport, the DNR is considering using public use farms for solar energy farms.
“Studies are still being done on the Roscommon project. And then the Upper Peninsula project, we’re hopeful that ground can be broken on that project in 2027,” said Whitcomb.
If that happens Whitcomb said that would be the first time the DNR would use state land for a solar energy farm. However, Hoitenga said this is just the start.
“In a statement released by the DNR director himself, he said they’re looking at a total of 4000 acres. So, this is only a drop in the bucket,” said Hoitenga.