ST. JOSEPH, Mich., Oct. 19, 2023 — Democratic lawmakers introduced a package of bills last week — the Clean Energy and Jobs Act — to help Michigan meet its renewable energy goals, create good-paying union jobs and uphold the rights of landowners to use their property as they choose. State Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph), a member of the committee that considered the bills, issued the following statement on the bills:
“The issue of how and where to locate new renewable energy projects, especially those at utility scale, brings out a lot of passion about local control and personal property rights. I was proud to introduce an amendment, which was adopted with bipartisan support, to expressly forbid the use of eminent domain for solar or wind projects.
“Michigan’s transition to clean energy is inevitable, and we have to act quickly to protect our environment, strengthen our electric grid, and create the sustainable, good-paying union jobs that will bring these projects to fruition. I will continue to monitor these bills as they move forward, and I am committed to finding a solution to our energy needs that honors local control.”