Legislators demand DNR answers regarding proposed deforestation for solar panel installations

State Rep. Cam Cavitt on Monday joined 52 of his Republican and Democrat colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Department of Natural Resources Director Scott Bowen demanding answers on a recently exposed proposed solar installation near Gaylord. DNR officials said they plan to allow the destruction of 420 acres of state forest, located just west of Gaylord, to clear the way for solar panel installations.

“I was disgusted to hear the news that the DNR plans to destroy over 400 acres of forest near Gaylord to make way for solar installations,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “Even worse, they’ve targeted already prime agricultural land in our community that borders a designated trout stream—sacrificing our natural resources and critical ecosystems for these reckless projects. They want to pave paradise and put up a solar installation.”

Public outrage has exploded since the project plans were uncovered last week. In response, RWE Clean Energy, which operates a solar field adjacent to the public land, reversed course and said it would not be pursuing expansion onto the state forest. Staff with RWE Clean Energy initially requested the DNR make the land available for the installation of solar farms.

“I’m tired of Lansing treating Northern Michigan like our land is vacant and attempting to industrialize our landscapes without any local input,” Cavitt said. “It’s inexcusable and a direct attack on the people and communities who live here. This decision will devastate wildlife, erase habitats, and betray the already thin trust we’ve placed in the DNR to safeguard our resources. I believe the DNR should face serious consequences for this.”

The legislators demanded the DNR release any information on other locations where the DNR has agreed to lease public land for private green-energy use.

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