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(Editor’s Note: With more solar panels cropping up on homes, buildings and vineyards on the Old Mission Peninsula, could we eventually see entire orchards or woodlands replaced with solar farms? It’s good to keep an eye on what’s happening with the greater solar news around Michigan. Grant Parsons writes about the DNR’s proposed installation of 420 acres of solar panels near Gaylord, and the possible motives behind some politicians’ outcry. Pictured above are the solar panels at Chateau Chantal on the OMP. Read on for Grant’s thoughts. -jb)
I opened the Traverse City Record-Eagle this weekend and read about two Republican politicians’ anguish over the possible loss of trees if the DNR installs 420 acres of solar panels. Right there, the page one headline: “Outcry over plan to clear-cut 420 acres of state land for solar farm” and a long article featuring two Republican legislators crying out about loss of wildlife habitat, loss of trees, loss of carbon capture! (Editor’s Note: Read the Record-Eagle story here, or if you don’t have a subscription, click here for the story in the Detroit News. -jb)
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I thought, “WOW!” It would seem we are suddenly living in a better world where Republicans are actively concerned about the environment. It seemed, after decades of subsidizing oil, coal, nukes and natural gas, Republicans changed their energy policy.
Or was I missing something?
I combed the article for clues to explain the apparent Republican change of heart. And there is it was on page two, in paragraph six, near the bottom of the column: “House Republicans said the DNR plan to cut the trees is an outgrowth of ‘radical green energy legislation’ that Democrats ‘rammed through’ the Legislature in 2023.”
I can only express my reaction by plagiarizing the “WAAAAAAAH!” used by comic book writers. There was no Republican environmental awakening; it was the same old Republican anti-environmentalism, wearing the camouflage of false concern.
It appears that Rep. John Roth’s (R-Interlochen) true concern is likely the threat of wind and solar energy replacing nuclear and natural gas – two known spoilers of the planet. He is quoted in the story, “I’m in favor of clean energy, too, but we can’t do it with wind and solar alone. We need a baseload component and that means either nuclear energy and/or natural gas if you want to lower carbon emissions.”
The facts: This DNR solar panel plan has nothing to do with cutting baseload energy, but it would, without a doubt, help reduce reliance on natural gas and nukes, and their pollutants.
Senator John Damoose’s (R-Harbor Springs) flood of tears over trees surely was not caused by the DNR’s 420-acre tree cut. The 420 acres, some of which had been previously cut and replanted with red pine seedlings, is an infinitesimal fraction of Michigan’s annual cutting of 315,680 acres of forest land.
If Sen. Damoose cries over 420 acres of red pine seedlngs, can you imagine the oceans of tears he must shed for the 315,680 acres of forest land Michigan cuts annually?
This 420-acre cut is a molehill, but Republicans are intent on making it a mountain – for the sake of power politics. The sub-heading of the story is, “GOP calls for ‘mass firings’ at Department of Natural Resources.” The surpassingly insignificant size of this project could not possibly warrant a “mass firing” at the DNR. Yet, there is the GOP’s threat – in writing, publicized for DNR staff to see. What do DNR workers feel? What will the GOP threat do to their work in the future?
If Michigan’s GOP is allowed to threaten revenge on our Michigan DNR, there must be a public reaction. The DNR defends “Pure Michigan,” our tourist economy. The DNR is imperfect, but it is our front-line defense for our economy and our natural resources.
Now is the time to call out these two Republicans legislators and reject their power politics – the politics of fear. They appear to be opportunistic pols working against green energy. They appear to endorse the politics of fear that has infected the national GOP. They likely aren’t opposed to cutting some mixed scrub pine; they are likely protecting an energy industry that is spoiling the planet. And they are likely doing it straight out of the national GOP playbook of threatening administrative workers not to oppose GOP power politics.
Or am I missing something?
Now is the time — not the next election but now, before it is too late — to call out Damoose and Roth and challenge the threats and the sham tears. Will they stop threatening DNR employees? What are they doing to work for clean energy for our children’s survival? Will they fund green energy? Fund the planting of more trees? Fund more solar and wind?
Or will they just keep on the camouflage of false tears used by a Republican Party committed to perpetuating oil, gas, and nuke industries – by the use of power politics?
-Grant Parsons
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Yes! The opinion writer is missing something. Solar energy is not sustainable energy in Michigan. State land for solar will be removed from being available for recreation use. The most concerning issue is the precedent the use of state recreation land for large scale solar on other state owned recreation land across Michigan.
There are millions of acres preserved by the DNR and Conservancies around the State. The 420 acres would not make a dent in wildlife grazing land nor is it an active recreation area. The red pine plantings are part of normal forest management plans. These reforested acres were never intended for recreational use.
Republicans definitely represent the Oil industry. They need to wake up and realize oil is not renewable and support solar power. Companies, farmers and homeowners are increasingly installing solar panels.
Solar power can be harvested on cloudy days. To discount it is irresponsible. Forest management and Recreational Plans routinely and historically are not overseen by the Legislature. Damoose and Roth are clearly making noise about something that normally wouldn’t come under their radar.
Grant Parsons, thank you for your article.
Amazing anyone would support this 420-acre boondoggle. Is the DNR even authorized to sell public land to private companies? And local townships / counties were removed by the Democrat House in a bill signed by our Gov. from being involved in siting wind and solar projects. Decisions are now made by unelected bureaucrats and local residents have no input. Welcome to the USSR.
Also, pick the location in the lower peninsula with the most snow….. Oh, let’s pick the Gaylord area that receives 149 inches of snow on a normal winter. That’s over 12 feet for you democrats. How often are they going to clear the snow off, or are they only going to be used during summer?
Randy, Making a dig at democrats, implying they are stupid or something by not being able to do simple math, diminishes you and your argument. Why did you find it necessary to throw that comment in?
Something bothers me about the term “Pure Michigan “ our “ Tourest economy “ .
Back in 2019 the PT manager ,at the time , used that same term Pure Michigan + the word Byway as the rational for being against the transfer of M-37 N. Of Front Street to “Local control “ . Which is a bedrock principle of our governing system . Something to the effect that changing who maintains the road would affect the amount of traffic using it and thus impede the ability of the people on the Peninsula to prosper.
Has every thing become about money , we have a big safety concern at the base of the Peninsula by Bryant Pk .
Without local control ,it has been impossible to get a safe way to cross from the Central High school neighborhood to Bryant pk . Because there is no designated crossing between Front st . and Eastern Av. I would be very interested in Mr Grants take on this situation . my Email is [email protected] It is a safety concern and it just keeps getting worse ,as the traffic out the Peninsula increases .