State Rep. Ken Borton on Tuesday announced his backing of a bill package that would restore local siting control for large-scale wind and solar projects.

Currently, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has a stranglehold over the approval process for all large-scale renewable energy projects. The MPSC was handed the authority by legislative Democrats as part of radical green energy laws passed in 2023.

“When these oppressive laws first passed, I described the situation as ‘Democrats pressing their green boots into the throats of Northern Michigan.’ The committee passage of these bills is the first step toward prying that boot off,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “Local control is the oxygen that feeds communities across the state. The ability to manage our elections, make taxing decisions, decide what’s best for our communities, and govern ourselves is the lifeblood that keeps us going. Democrats stripped a major portion of that away, and now we’re taking it back.”

Before the new green energy laws, prospective developers would need local approval before any project could get underway. This process would regularly result in a significant amount of public discussion regarding the potential impact of the proposed project. Whatever the outcome, the process was driven by local leaders and residents who lived in the communities most affected by the proposed projects.

The plan, House Bills 4027 and 4028, would restore zoning and permitting authority to local governments, stripping unelected bureaucrats of their ability to approve renewable energy projects from places they may never have even visited themselves.

The legislation passed the House Energy Committee and now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

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