News Photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Sunday, outside part of the solar panel farm located in Posen. The project is still under construction.

ALPENA — Two bills in the Michigan House of Representatives, which have been moved to the Michigan Senate for consideration, would give local governments the authority over large-scale wind and solar projects.

House Bills 4027 and 4028 arrive just shortly after the recent controversy of DTE receiving special permits in 2023 to install an 803-acre solar farm in Presque Isle County. With a seven-to-one vote by the Presque Isle County Planning Commission to approve the permits, many residents were upset that they were not given much say as to whether or not they wanted a solar panel farm bordering their backyards.

When the Presque Isle County Planning Commission first voted on the permits, State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, stated that he believed if the permits had not been approved by the local government, then the state would have most likely stepped in to circumvent local authorities.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer passed legislation back in 2023 allowing state authorities to override local government if green energy developers and local government entities are unable to come to an agreement on renewable energy projects.

When the project came up for a vote, DTE pushed a meeting with the Presque Isle County Planning Commission until Whitmer’s legislation was passed.

Fast forward to April 2025, according to a recent press release from Cavitt, the Michigan House of Representatives has voted to move legislation to the Michigan Senate for further review that would appeal zoning and permitting authority over large-scale wind and solar projects. Currently, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) holds that power.

In the press release, Cavitt announced his support of the legislation and stated that he voted on Wednesday to restore local governmental oversight on green energy projects.

“Lansing Democrats and progressive environmentalists want you to believe that local officials were why they couldn’t get their renewable energy projects approved,” Cavitt said in the press release. “What they don’t tell you they just have terrible projects that no one wants in their backyards. When Democrats stripped control away from our local officials, it was like a restaurant serving someone spoiled food and, instead of fixing the meal, blaming the customer for complaining, then forcing them to eat it anyway while the chef insists it’s gourmet.”

According to House Bill 4028, the legislation would appeal Part 8 of the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act that created a certification process with the MPSC for large-scale wind, solar, and energy storage facilities. This certification process “preempts” local zoning and regulation of those facilities.

House Bill 4028 also states that in some circumstances, local government entities can act as a permitting authority if the authorities have “…an ordinance whose requirements are aligned with the MPSC certification standards…”

According to House Bill 4027, the legislation would amend the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act, removing a provision that makes zoning ordinances subject to Part 8 of the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Act. House Bill 4028 will appeal this act if it is passed by the State Senate.

House Bill 4027 also states it will remove language that prescribes immunity to renewable energy projects that have received special land use approval if 10% of the project construction costs have been made, or have incurred costs equal to or less than $10,000, on or after Jan. 1, 2021. This language also currently prohibits modifications or revocations that meet the aforementioned criteria.

Overall, Cavitt said that power should be given back to communities to approve renewable energy projects as a check on state-level government.

“We need to give local officials the power to stand up for their communities again,” Cavitt said in the recent press release. “Before this whole mess of green energy legislation passed, our local governments were the only check we had against reckless developments and bad projects. These new laws silenced our communities that were trying to protect farmland, preserve wildlife, and plan for long-term sustainability. Restoring zoning and permitting authority takes the muzzle off local governments across Michigan. These folks are trying to fight for their communities, and state government shouldn’t be standing in their way.”

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.