State Rep. Dave Prestin yesterday voted to restore local oversight over large-scale renewable energy projects. The plan passed the House along party lines.

Prestin said “We’re restoring local control because zoning authority belongs with the people who know their communities best,”  “Local governments plan their zoning out for decades. This process protects property rights across the board, from single-family homes to recreational areas and even the largest industrial facilities. People shouldn’t have to worry about the empty lot next to them being developed into green energy infrastructure. The state shouldn’t be able to decide that someone’s backyard is suitable for potentially hazardous renewable energy projects.”

House Bills 4027-4028 would restore zoning and permitting authority over large-scale renewable energy projects to local governments, a power currently held by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). Under sweeping green energy laws passed in 2023, the MPSC is required to approve projects that meet certain qualifications under the law. Before the new laws, large-scale renewable energy projects required local approval.

The legislation now moves to the Senate for further consideration.