Zeeland Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma is joined at a Sept. 24 press conference by (from left) Sen. Roger Victory, Ottawa County Commissioner Jacob Bonnema, Ottawa County Commissioner Joe Moss and Township Trustee Jeff Salisbury.
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Zeeland Township is asking the White House to support its fight to block the Silver Maple solar project.
Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma, with the backing of the Township Board, late last week sent letters to President Donald J. Trump and members of his cabinet, asking them to support the township’s efforts to block the proposed 200-megawatt, $330 million project from RWE Solar Development LLC. The letter also invites the president to visit the township to see the situation up close.
“A visit would provide an opportunity to meet directly with local farmers, business owners, elected officials, and residents who are living with the consequences of the poor policies you are fighting against,” Bosma wrote in the letter. “We would welcome the opportunity to show you firsthand the farmland and community that our residents are working to preserve for future generations.”
Bosma also presented a copy of the letter to U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who met with the supervisor at the Township Hall Monday.
RWE resubmitted its application for Silver Maple with the Michigan Public Service Commission Sept. 18. The company is applying for state approval under Public Act 233, the Michigan law that allows developers to bypass local governing bodies and get approval from the MPSC, a three-member unelected commission. The township is fighting the application on the principle of maintaining local control over land use decisions.
“The project has generated substantial public concern because it would convert productive agricultural land to an industrial- scale energy facility,” Bosma wrote. “We are concerned about the project's long-term negative impacts on farming, community character, local infrastructure, and food production.”
In addition to President Trump, Bosma sent letters to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, asking for their help in trying to keep Silver Maple from proceeding.
At a press conference last Thursday at a local farm, Bosma spoke of the “unintended consequences” that are resulting from PA 233 right here in the township.
“There’s a solar industrial (developer) that is looking at building on our farmland here that is the size of Zeeland city,” Bosma said. “RWE stepped beyond our local Planning Commission, (they) did not want to wait for us to do our due diligence in working on an ordinance, and went to the MPSC.”
In its application, RWE says it has secured leases on 52 parcels totaling 1,914 acres of farmland in the two townships. It plans to site the solar panels on 1,124 acres of fenced-in property.
The township has challenged the constitutionality of PA 233, saying the state law overrides local control over how wind, solar and energy storage facilities are regulated “by infringing on certain rights that the Michigan Constitution reserves to local governments.”
So why is the township seeking help from Washington?
“Asking our president to intervene – he has a heart for development, but he also has a heart for the farmers and our community and our way of life,” Bosma said.
Bosma was joined at last Thursday’s press conference by State Sen. Roger Victory, a farmer who is currently running for the Michigan State University Board of Trustees; Ottawa County commissioners Jacob Bonnema and Joe Moss, and Township Trustee Jeff Salisbury.
Victory called the township’s action a “bold move.”
“I know we’re working at the state level (on this issue), but at this point and time we need all levels of government (involved),” Victory said.
Victory said he has spoken to Wright regarding the situation of the Campbell plant, which Consumers Energy planned to shut down in May of last year but has been kept open through a series of emergency orders issued by Wright.
Moss, who is running for the state House, echoed the township’s concerns over local control over land use decisions.
“We need people to understand at the local, state and national level how this type of policy that removes local control and local decision-making has a negative effect,” Moss said.
On a related note, a trial date on a lawsuit filed by RWE against members of the Smallegan family in Ottawa County Circuit Court has been rescheduled for Oct. 8, according to court records. That suit alleges the Smallegans signed leases allowing RWE access to their land, then blocked the company from accessing the property. The Smallegan property accounts for about 30 percent of the acreage proposed for Silver Maple.
Zeeland Record
Zeeland Township is asking the White House to support its fight to block the Silver Maple solar project.
Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma, with the backing of the Township Board, late last week sent letters to President Donald J. Trump and members of his cabinet, asking them to support the township’s efforts to block the proposed 200-megawatt, $330 million project from RWE Solar Development LLC. The letter also invites the president to visit the township to see the situation up close.
“A visit would provide an opportunity to meet directly with local farmers, business owners, elected officials, and residents who are living with the consequences of the poor policies you are fighting against,” Bosma wrote in the letter. “We would welcome the opportunity to show you firsthand the farmland and community that our residents are working to preserve for future generations.”
Bosma also presented a copy of the letter to U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, who met with the supervisor at the Township Hall Monday.
RWE resubmitted its application for Silver Maple with the Michigan Public Service Commission Sept. 18. The company is applying for state approval under Public Act 233, the Michigan law that allows developers to bypass local governing bodies and get approval from the MPSC, a three-member unelected commission. The township is fighting the application on the principle of maintaining local control over land use decisions.
“The project has generated substantial public concern because it would convert productive agricultural land to an industrial- scale energy facility,” Bosma wrote. “We are concerned about the project's long-term negative impacts on farming, community character, local infrastructure, and food production.”
In addition to President Trump, Bosma sent letters to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, asking for their help in trying to keep Silver Maple from proceeding.
At a press conference last Thursday at a local farm, Bosma spoke of the “unintended consequences” that are resulting from PA 233 right here in the township.
“There’s a solar industrial (developer) that is looking at building on our farmland here that is the size of Zeeland city,” Bosma said. “RWE stepped beyond our local Planning Commission, (they) did not want to wait for us to do our due diligence in working on an ordinance, and went to the MPSC.”
In its application, RWE says it has secured leases on 52 parcels totaling 1,914 acres of farmland in the two townships. It plans to site the solar panels on 1,124 acres of fenced-in property.
The township has challenged the constitutionality of PA 233, saying the state law overrides local control over how wind, solar and energy storage facilities are regulated “by infringing on certain rights that the Michigan Constitution reserves to local governments.”
So why is the township seeking help from Washington?
“Asking our president to intervene – he has a heart for development, but he also has a heart for the farmers and our community and our way of life,” Bosma said.
Bosma was joined at last Thursday’s press conference by State Sen. Roger Victory, a farmer who is currently running for the Michigan State University Board of Trustees; Ottawa County commissioners Jacob Bonnema and Joe Moss, and Township Trustee Jeff Salisbury.
Victory called the township’s action a “bold move.”
“I know we’re working at the state level (on this issue), but at this point and time we need all levels of government (involved),” Victory said.
Victory said he has spoken to Wright regarding the situation of the Campbell plant, which Consumers Energy planned to shut down in May of last year but has been kept open through a series of emergency orders issued by Wright.
Moss, who is running for the state House, echoed the township’s concerns over local control over land use decisions.
“We need people to understand at the local, state and national level how this type of policy that removes local control and local decision-making has a negative effect,” Moss said.
On a related note, a trial date on a lawsuit filed by RWE against members of the Smallegan family in Ottawa County Circuit Court has been rescheduled for Oct. 8, according to court records. That suit alleges the Smallegans signed leases allowing RWE access to their land, then blocked the company from accessing the property. The Smallegan property accounts for about 30 percent of the acreage proposed for Silver Maple.
Zeeland Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma signs a letter to President Donald Trump, asking him and members of his cabinet to support the township in its effort to block the Silver Maple solar project.
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