(The Center Square) – A voter-led petition seeks to repeal a Michigan law that allowed the state to seize local control of large-scale wind and solar projects.
The Michigan Farm Bureau and the Michigan Townships Association say Public Act 233 of 2023 strips local siting authority in 1,240 townships and gives it to the Michigan Public Service Commission – three people appointed by the governor.
Citizens for Local Choice must collect at least 356,958 valid signatures before May 29 to place the proposal on the November ballot.
With voter approval on the November ballot, the initiative would restore the zoning authority of clean energy to Michigan communities.
“The Board’s support of this initiative efforts aligns with the Association’s unwavering commitment to local control and the ability of communities and residents to have the final say over local decisions—especially those that have far-reaching, long-lasting and dramatic effects in a community,” MTA President Pauline Bennett said in a statement. “Local officials and their residents simply should not—and cannot—be silenced over local issues impacting them, their community, their quality of life—and their future.”