{"id":3370,"date":"2025-03-13T17:51:36","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T17:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/micleanpropane.com\/?p=3370"},"modified":"2025-07-23T02:08:22","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T02:08:22","slug":"cutting-down-michigan-forests-for-solar-farms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/micleanpropane.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/13\/cutting-down-michigan-forests-for-solar-farms\/","title":{"rendered":"Cutting Down Michigan Forests For Solar Farms"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3370\" class=\"elementor elementor-3370\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dd0ffe e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9dd0ffe\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f51e3f6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f51e3f6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7309383 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7309383\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Cutting Down Michigan Forests For Solar Farms<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08dd500 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"08dd500\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Environmental Costs of Deforestation for Renewable Energy Projects\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6c8b56 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d6c8b56\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74be582 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"74be582\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fe43731 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fe43731\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">The Michigan Propane Gas Association (MPGA) supports solar and wind energy and believes Michigan needs fuel diversity. The MPGA takes an &#8220;all of the above&#8221; approach to energy. Technological breakthroughs show that fossil and alternative energies, such as hydrogen, will be near net zero. Fuel diversity\u00a0fuels innovation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7642bd0 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"7642bd0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9740aba elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9740aba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Case of Gaylord, Michigan\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ddd91f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ddd91f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In early 2025, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) proposed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jasonhayes.substack.com\/p\/clearing-the-forest-for-solar-a-green\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leasing 420 acres of public forest land<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Otsego County for a solar farm. The project was part of the state\u2019s push for renewables, but it quickly drew criticism from the masses, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gophouse.org\/posts\/northern-michigan-lawmakers-call-for-firings-after-dnr-sells-out-to-solar-farm-industry\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">including members of Michigan\u2019s Congress<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clearing mature forests contradicts renewable energy&#8217;s goal of reducing carbon emissions, as trees naturally absorb CO2. The project also threatens the nearby Ausable River, one of America\u2019s most famous inland waterways.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facing public backlash, RWE Clean Energy distanced itself from plans to operate on state land, claiming it would <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bridgemi.com\/michigan-environment-watch\/amid-outcry-solar-farm-owner-says-it-no-longer-wants-michigan-forest\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">focus on private land acquisitions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Still, the reality remains that substantial land is sacrificed for solar projects across the country every year.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0937607 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0937607\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1c0dc7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b1c0dc7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9bdce5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f9bdce5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9aa396 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c9aa396\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21b1411 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"21b1411\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ca2634c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ca2634c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A National Issue: Solar Farms and Deforestation\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a73c6d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a73c6d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The situation in Gaylord is not unique. Researchers at Harvard University, reporters at the Associated Press, and others are sounding the alarm on solar projects destroying plants, wildlife, and forests:\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Massachusetts: Since 2010, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2023\/10\/clearing-forests-to-erect-solar-panels-may-not-be-clean-energy-solution\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">roughly 60% of the 8,000 <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">acres of land cleared for solar fields were forested, reducing the state\u2019s capacity to reduce carbon emissions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">North Carolina: Large solar farms have <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carolinajournal.com\/opinion\/save-ncs-endangered-farmland-from-overbuilding-solar-facilities\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">destroyed wetlands and forests<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> throughout the state, disrupting its ecosystems and wildlife<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">California: In the Mojave Desert, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/california-solar-energy-ivanpah-birds-tortoises-mojave-6d91c36a1ff608861d5620e715e1141c\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">solar installations have wiped out habitats<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for native species, including desert tortoises and birds, raising concerns about irreversible ecological damage due to the significant push for renewable energy.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While these projects claim to reduce carbon emissions, they ignore the immediate and lasting damage they cause to the environment. The destruction of forests and natural landscapes for solar panels highlights a grey area in the motive to push for renewables.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f96330 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6f96330\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;video&quot;,&quot;background_video_link&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/micleanpropane.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/SW-Deforestation.mov&quot;,&quot;background_play_on_mobile&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-video-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-background-video-hosted\" role=\"presentation\" autoplay muted playsinline loop><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-01f80b0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"01f80b0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f70bf97 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"f70bf97\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54a71d4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"54a71d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b196bd e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9b196bd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b467ad e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4b467ad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-285bad8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"285bad8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Destruction of Ecosystems and Wildlife<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10b3d0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10b3d0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite claims of reducing carbon emissions, these projects often ignore the immediate environmental degradation they cause, leading to confusion around the push for renewable energy.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-327ee62 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"327ee62\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5df4760 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5df4760\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4693ed7 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4693ed7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9936708 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9936708\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Deforestation Increases Emissions\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-146fb79 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"146fb79\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forests are crucial for reducing atmospheric carbon. When trees are cut down for solar farms, carbon stored in the soil and vegetation is released back into the air, negating any climate benefits from solar energy. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Research shows that it can take <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2023\/10\/clearing-forests-to-erect-solar-panels-may-not-be-clean-energy-solution\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">decades for solar panels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to offset the carbon loss caused by deforestation.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41f0cb4 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"41f0cb4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84b8902 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"84b8902\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b2fc85 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"4b2fc85\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-239dd43 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"239dd43\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Deforestation Leads to Soil Erosion and Water Pollution\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f6f0113 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f6f0113\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deforestation disrupts soil and increases stream sediment levels, destroying aquatic ecosystems and degrading water quality. This threat in Gaylord has raised residents\u2019 concerns about water pollution in nearby rivers and soil erosion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46dfb50 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"46dfb50\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8eb5ce elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"e8eb5ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-781625a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"781625a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f71747 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1f71747\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Final Thoughts\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e786f70 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e786f70\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case of Gaylord, Michigan, exemplifies a broader issue: the destructive impact of solar and other renewable energy initiatives. We must seek sustainable, long-term solutions that do not sacrifice the environment for energy production.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Environmental Costs of Deforestation for Renewable Energy Projects The Michigan Propane Gas Association (MPGA) supports solar and wind energy and believes Michigan needs fuel diversity. The MPGA takes an &#8220;all of the above&#8221; approach to energy. Technological breakthroughs show that fossil and alternative energies, such as hydrogen, will be near net zero. Fuel diversity\u00a0fuels 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