Initiative to repeal renewable energy siting reform fails to pass on November ballot • Michigan Advance

AND ballot initiative in an effort to reverse current policies regarding the location of clean energy approved by the Sejm last year did not collect the necessary signatures to get on the November ballot.

Citizens for local choice they had to submit 356,958 valid petition signatures to the Michigan Office of Elections by Wednesday, May 29, at 5 p.m., but were unable to do so. However, the group says it is not giving up its efforts.

“The Citizens for Local Choice campaign engaged thousands of volunteers across the state and issued tens of thousands of signature petitions to restore local control over large-scale wind and solar operations,” the organization said in an emailed statement . “The campaign is strong and robust, and while we have not met the required signature threshold to qualify for the 2024 ballot, we will continue our ambitious efforts to take advantage of our legal 180-day window and work to secure a place on the ballot in 2026 “.

In Michigan, signatures submitted for a qualifying petition must be collected within 180 days immediately preceding the filing date. Signatures dated more than 180 days before the submission of the application are considered invalid.

The goal of this initiative was to repeal upcoming law that gives the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) the authority to issue permits for large wind farms and solar batteries.

The change was made possible thanks to the adoption of Art House Bill 5120which is to enter into force on November 29 supporters of the bill argued The changes it will bring about will help expand the use of clean energy and enable farmers who may have been blocked from leasing land to energy developers to secure additional income by installing solar panels or wind turbines.

But supporters of the Citizens for Local Choice initiative say the new law will allow “corporations to supersede statewide local control for utility-scale wind and solar projects.” Organizations that publicly supported the action included the Michigan Farm Bureau, the Michigan Association of Townships, the Michigan Association of Counties and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan.

While critics say the bill strips local governments of control over large-scale renewable energy projects, supporters noted that it still requires utilities to work with municipalities whose permitting process is analogous to that used by the state, giving both sides 120 days to reach an agreement. They can also apply for an extension for another 120 days.

Electricity providers may submit a permit application to the MPSC if the affected community does not approve or reject the application in a timely manner, if the local zoning process is more stringent than the standards set forth in the bill, or if the project meets the standards set forth in the bill but the application is rejected. rejected.

One supporter of the change was Clara Ostrander of Milan Township in Monroe County, who owns and operates two Centennial Farms. The guest was Ostrander last November during a bill signing event with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Ostrander said renting the farm to another farmer to grow corn and soybeans helped pay taxes, but there wasn’t much left to help support the rest of the farm.

“So when we were first approached about leasing our land for a large solar farm, we were very skeptical because we didn’t want to do anything that would harm the farm,” she said. “But after several months of research, we learned that solar energy will not harm our earth, on the contrary, it will allow it to rest while helping the environment by using the sun to produce clean energy.”

However, Ostrander said the city government’s interpretation of the solar ordinance prevented them from continuing their operations for two years, until the ordinance was finally amended to prevent her from leasing the land and “taking away our landowner rights.”

She said that thanks to the laws, small farmers like herself now have the opportunity to preserve their family heritage without having to resort to selling their land.

One of the groups that had it opposed this initiative former Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, which welcomed the news that this issue will not be voted on in November. The council called reforms are “critical” and state that they “will help avoid higher energy costs for the average Michigan household while creating jobs and making our economy more competitive.”

The ballot initiative was also opposed by the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – Michigan Chapter, Evergreen Action, the Michigan Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, Michigan Climate Action Clinicians, Vote Solar and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters .