Amid Outcry, Solar Farm Owner Says It No Longer Wants Michigan Forest to Expand
January 06, 2025 | Source: Bridge Michigan | by Michigan climate change, Rural Michigan
A proposal to lease 420 acres of state land near Gaylord for a solar energy development is on shaky ground after attracting criticism from lawmakers, including calls for “mass firings” of state employees involved in the plan.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will issue a public notice Tuesday of its intent to lease the property in Hayes Township, just west of Gaylord, said Scott Whitcomb, director of the agency’s public lands office.
The parcel abuts private property already slated for a roughly 1,000-acre solar development by RWE Clean Energy. Whitcomb said company officials approached the DNR about a year ago looking to expand onto state land.