Michigan DNR Plans To Kill 420 Acres Of Forest For Solar Farm

The Gaylord, Michigan, area could soon face the consequences of hasty “green” legislation with unrealistic expectations. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has unveiled a plan to knock down 420 acres of forest to have a solar farm built in its place.

This plan follows on the heels of the Democrat-led Michigan legislature passing a law in 2023 mandating all state energy production to be 100 percent “clean” by 2040. Significantly, that legislation took approval power for wind and solar energy projects away from local governments, which are typically more attuned to the desires of residents, and gave it to the state.

Now, a little over a year later, the Michigan DNR is expected to announce its intention to take bids from private solar companies to build a solar “farm” on public, taxpayer-funded land. This is the beginning of a larger plan to lease out thousands more acres of public land to build more so-called green energy solutions. Surprise, surprise: Lease money goes to the Michigan DNR’s budget. Scott Whitcomb, the DNR’s director of public lands, admitted, “We don’t give this land away for free … The bottom line is, we have to pay for the activities of this agency somehow.”

Michigan is not the only state recently affected by this kind of legislation. Many blue states and a few red ones have passed legislation with similar goals since 2018. According to the Clean Energy States Alliance, 24 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have “100% clean energy goals.”

This includes California, which is experiencing catastrophic wildfires partly due to “climate” regulations and legislation that delayed the construction of water storage infrastructure. California passed SB100 in 2018, which features a goal of 100 percent carbon-free energy in the state by 2045, a similar goal to Michigan’s 2023 legislation.

Since California’s legislation passed, Desert Center has become a center of controversy, similar to the solar farm dustup near Gaylord. The government decided to use public land in Desert Center to build large solar farms, which disrupted animal habitats, stirred up hazardous levels of dust during construction, and led local wells to run dry. These concerns seemed to be noted before construction, but they weren’t heeded. 

Having seen the disastrous effects of other states’ “clean” energy projects, GOP lawmakers in Michigan have called for comprehensive firings of anyone in the DNR who was involved in making this plan. “This deforestation will destroy habitats and effectively kill wildlife,” said Republican state Rep. Ken Borton, who represents Gaylord. “Let me make that clear, the DNR is choosing to kill wildlife so they can build solar panels.” 

This is true. Some 80 percent of terrestrial animal, insect, and plant species call forests their home. This plan will require, at best, the relocation of the animals that live on the public lands while likely destroying the area’s plant life.

If you’re concerned about global temperatures rising, as the Democrats who passed this legislation in Michigan claim to be, cutting down trees is a bad strategy. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and give off oxygen. If you cut down thousands of trees, not only will you have less carbon dioxide absorption, but the carbon stored in those trees will be released back into the atmosphere. More trees simply lead to cleaner air for us to breathe. Those involved in creating this plan, Democrats and members of the so-called Department of Natural Resources, are either ignorant of this information or have ulterior motives.

Additionally, not only are solar farms ugly, but the panels require a decent amount of energy to produce, are manufactured using toxic materials, and only last about 25 to 30 years. 

This whole plan is a net negative on the environment. The DNR may be spurred in part by the legislature’s ridiculous standards, but this does not seem like the best it can do. I reached out to the DNR as a concerned, taxpaying citizen of Michigan with several questions ranging from how much thought was put into the destruction of a natural habitat to how this will affect the local Gaylord economy. Unsurprisingly, as of this writing, the department has not answered my questions. 

“The people who made this absurd decision signed up for a job to protect our natural resources. Their department is supposed to stand up for outdoor enthusiasts,” said Republican state Sen. Michele Hoitenga, who represents the Gaylord area and owns an energy consulting company with her husband. “Instead, they sold us out.”

“Just as the state rightfully holds citizens accountable for their use of unethical conservation actions — likewise, people are demanding accountability from the government for their unethical conservation management practices,” Hoitenga added. 

According to the DNR’s website, its mission is to conserve, protect, and manage my state’s natural resources for current and future generations. I don’t think its job is to lease public land to private companies at the expense of conservation. As a Michigan resident, I am disgusted by the overpowering legislation that led to this situation, along with the Department of Natural Resources completely abandoning its mission.

What we do with public lands should be up to the taxpaying public. The DNR seems to be confused about what its job is. 

AJ is a writer in Michigan. He graduated from Liberty University with a B.A. in English. When AJ isn’t writing, he’s probably trying to teach his newborn how to play catch. Find him on X @bumgardanr.