Statement by Huron Pines Regarding the Siting of Solar Infrastructure
The following is Huron Pines’ position statement regarding the siting of solar energy infrastructure (solar siting) in Michigan. Adopted by the Huron Pines Board Feb. 3, 2025, it outlines our views on solar siting and encourages state-level decision makers and landowners to evaluate a variety of factors when considering a renewable energy project. The statement can be downloaded here.
Huron Pines believes that climate change is a global emergency impacting the communities, habitats and water resources of Northern Michigan. Addressing climate change requires coordinated solutions to decrease extinctions, increase ecological resilience and protect the health and livelihoods of current and future generations. Huron Pines combats climate change through nature-based solutions such as land protection, habitat restoration and guiding sustainable development in communities including actions limiting carbon emissions, maintaining or increasing land uses that sequester carbon and ensuring biological diversity to adapt to future climate conditions. Huron Pines believes renewable energy is a critical part of the solution. Communities should embrace renewable energy projects to protect our natural resources and communities.
The State of Michigan has enacted policies to reduce carbon and shift to renewable energy, including 50% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The State Legislature has introduced associated legislation on clean electricity, renewables permitting, the siting of solar infrastructure and more. We recognize the threats climate change poses to our communities and environment and support strong policies needed to address them.
Huron Pines works to conserve and enhance the natural resources of Northern Michigan and is frequently faced with decisions that involve conflicting needs and uses. In making those decisions, we balance community needs and values including recreation, industry and development while also considering watershed health and the protection of sensitive environments.
A public red pine forest protected with the assistance of Huron Pines
Solar energy is a focus in Northern Michigan. This position statement outlines Huron Pines’ views on solar siting, and encourages state-level decision makers and landowners to evaluate a variety of factors in their consideration of a renewable energy project. The need to transform our power grid, including the installation of solar arrays, must be balanced with the value of our forests, wetlands, barrens, soils and areas of conservation significance. Protecting both our ecosystems and biodiversity and accelerating the transition to solar and other renewable power are mutually achievable goals.
It is estimated that it may require 400 square miles (256,000 acres) of solar installations to meet Michigan’s energy goals. Since Michigan is the state’s largest landowner, there is concern that significant acreage of state-managed public land will be considered for utility-scale solar. The State of Michigan has a responsibility to ensure that public lands are sustainably managed and a model to private landowners.
Solar siting should aim to avoid deforestation. Significant deforestation would be counterintuitive to the goals established by the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan which states “Sustainable forest management is key to maintaining and expanding the role of forests in reducing carbon emissions – and avoiding the loss of important carbon sinks that would make Michigan’s path to carbon neutrality even more challenging.” Additionally, land conversion that would result in a considerable loss of conserved lands would be inconsistent with the Michigan the Beautiful commitment to “conserve, connect and restore at least 30 percent of Michigan’s lands and waters by 2030.” Michigan currently maintains net zero deforestation (USDA Forest Service, 2020) but proposed projects on private and public lands threaten net zero deforestation goals. All options for siting solar installations in non forested areas should be exhausted before turning to forested land.
A group explores public forest land in Northern Michigan
Several existing State of Michigan plans outline goals and objectives that would protect natural resources and increase transparency with the public. The State should heed the thoughtful planning already completed. This includes the Public Land Strategy 2021-2027, which stresses the importance of the health of our public lands for local and regional economies, public access and recreation and clean water. Strategy 4 (page 48) directly addresses the approach to solar siting: “Assess the potential for locating utility-scale solar energy on DNR-managed public lands that have been degraded by past industrial use,” with the specific objective to “Develop a comprehensive inventory of DNR-managed public lands that contain brownfields, post industrial sites, or are otherwise degraded, marginal lands and market them for potential renewable energy development.”
Michigan can build upon the lessons learned from the history of leasing for oil and gas leases. Oil and gas well pads have a landscape impact on habitats and wildlife. Reclamation efforts have been poor or nonexistent. Far too many wells remain on the landscape and are characterized by extremely compacted soils and abundant invasive species. To avoid a similar impact and challenges, solar development lease terms should include forward thinking plans ensuring best management practices are implemented throughout the leasing phase, with suitable funds and controls for authentic restoration of these sites once the leases expire.
Gas well site in Northern Michigan
Huron Pines believes in a holistic approach to natural resource management including acknowledging and elevating the many values of forests. For landowners and land managers considering converting forested acres to solar, some initial priorities should include the following:
Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience
In the face of a global mass extinction event, the biodiversity that forests harbor is critical to building climate resilience and maintaining ecosystem function and services.
In forest, approximately one-third of carbon is stored in living trees and other plants while more than half of carbon is stored in forest soils. Deforestation has a negative impact on soil carbon and overall soil health. It can take decades to recover even after reforestation efforts. In addition to carbon, healthy soils clean our air and water, support biodiversity and reduce the risk of erosion.
Forests reduce flooding after extreme weather events by intercepting precipitation, increasing infiltration into the soil and soaking up excess rain.
Maintaining and expanding forests in and near development reduces the effects of heat islands which result when buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb the sun’s heat. This causes increased energy demands, impairs water quality and endangers the health of vulnerable human populations.
Ecosystem Services
Michigan forests provide clean water by acting as a natural filter. This is a critical service for the millions of people who rely on well and surface water for drinking and recreation.
Trees capture particulate matter and gaseous pollutants, providing oxygen and clean air.
Forests support Michigan’s agriculture economy. Forests maintain many species of pollinators and are key to maintaining stable populations that pollinate adjacent crops.
Socio-cultural and Socio-economic Importance
Forests provide for many recreation uses (e.g. hiking and skiing), cultural and spiritual activities (e.g. harvesting of medicinal plants, hunting and connecting with nature) and industry value (e.g. forest products and jobs).
Decisions made at the local scale without appropriate consideration or knowledge of a decision’s impact upon the broader community, region and world lead to costly problems. Without careful considerations, development and industry can unwittingly create a mosaic of habitat loss and fragmentation on the landscape, leading to the extinction of countless species. Similarly, ill-informed practices can lead to environmental and climate justice issues for vulnerable communities. Today we have the opportunity to make better choices. Our policy makers and conservation groups have the ability and tools to responsibly plan solar siting in Michigan that considers both local and landscape-wide effects. Huron Pines supports a comprehensive approach that includes encouraging development in suitable sites that ensure ecosystems and communities are not disproportionately affected by emerging land use changes.
Requests for policy makers
Stronger protection for forests, wetlands and areas of conservation significance.
Incentives and funding for siting solar on rooftops, parking lots, brownfields, reclaimed mines and other areas already impacted or degraded by development.
Reduction in the time and cost of permitting for rooftop, parking lot canopy and brownfield projects.
Incentives for site best management practices at solar farms including higher panels for pollinator plants, fencing to allow for small animal movement, built-in animal corridors and road and neighbor setbacks.
State-wide assessment for suitable siting with a focus on already disturbed lands including marginal agricultural areas.
A state plan on suitable sites managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. This process should include:
Prioritizing siting solar per the 2021-2027 Land Strategy Plan
Opportunity for and genuine consideration of public input
Publicly shared decision making structure for renewable siting
Plans to offset loss of natural resources and public access (land protection) if/when non-degraded sites are used
Description of how lease funds will be used
Plan to address lease issues such as: fencing; site reclamation when a project is removed; road access and utility installation and associated easements; on-site vegetation establishment and management while the project is active