LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Democrats in the state government are signaling their intent to transfer local control of renewable energy projects to the state.

In a speech August 30, Whitmer said she wants a 100 percent renewable fuel standard, reportedly by 2035, and wants to get there by shifting control over location decisions for wind and solar panel projects from local to state government officials. According to a statement from the governor’s office, Whitmer wants to “bolster” the Michigan Public Service Commission by authorizing it to permit utility-scale clean energy projects the same way it can do now for other sources of energy. Reactions to the speech were fast and sometimes furious, from both sides of the debate.

“I applaud Gov. Whitmer’s steadfast leadership towards a future of utilizing clean energy in Michigan,” said Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), chair of the senate energy and environment committee. “We owe it to ourselves and our planet to move as fast as possible to eliminate carbon emissions from direct power generation. Enacting policies that will streamline and expedite the approval and connection of these resources is a critical component to that bright future. The current model of siting large renewable projects is cumbersome, outdated and does not serve the best interests of Michigan citizens.”

There is no legislation at this time, but “it’s coming,” said the Michigan Farm Bureau’s Matthew Kapp. “The governor and Democrats in the legislature said that in the fall, it’s coming. This is a major change to Home Rule. In Michigan local governments have a lot of authority to decide on renewable energy projects. Michigan has a lot of unique features, which is why it’s important that these decisions be kept local. Michigan Farm Bureau believes that siting of these projects needs to be kept at the local level. What works in eastern Michigan may or may not work in western Michigan or northern Michigan.” Kapp argued that this is not a partisan issue, but rather an issue of local control versus state control, since local leaders could be Democrats as well as Republicans. However, many rural areas and farmland where renewable energy projects are most likely to be sited are governed locally by Republicans.

Kapp warned that a change to home rule in Michigan over renewable energy projects could spread to other matters and described it as a “slippery slope.” Kapp added there are 1,240 townships in Michigan. Gregory Alexander, a state House member who represents a district in the state’s Thumb region – where many wind developments have been placed – expressed his own misgivings about Whitmer and Democratic plans to change siting authority for renewable energy projects. “Zoning control and what happens in my constituents’ backyards shouldn’t be controlled by unelected bureaucrats in Lansing to streamline what Michiganders may not want,” he said. “If local communities welcome wind and solar, that should be left to be their choice.” Alexander serves on three appropriations subcommittees in the Michigan House, including the labor and economic opportunity appropriations subcommittee.