STATE REP. DAVID Prestin, state Sen. Ed McBroom and state Rep. Gregory Markkanen had a forum Wednesday in the Joseph Heirman University Center at Bay College in Escanaba to discuss new laws requiring Michigan to move entirely to clean and renewable energy by 2040. (R. R. Branstrom/Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA — Three Upper Peninsula Republican lawmakers had an “Energy Town Hall” on Tuesday on recently passed state legislation that requires Michigan to move to 100% clean energy by 2040.

State Sen. Ed McBroom and state Reps. David Prestin and Gregory Markkanen conducted the forum in the Joseph Heirman University Center at Bay College in Escanaba, where they and audience members expressed their displeasure with the new laws: Senate Bills 271 and 273 and House Bills 5120 and 5121.

The discussion centered around the understood loss of local power, both at the government level and for landowners; worry that dependence upon certain energy sources would put Michigan in danger; and the cost and feasibility of achieving set goals.

The relevant new pieces of legislation have already been signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. SB 271 requires electric companies to provide portfolios that show 80% clean energy between the years 2035 and 2039 and 100% clean energy from 2040 onwards. Companies struggling to meet deadlines may be allowed extensions if they present plans deemed acceptable by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Energy credits may be granted but are limited; under SB 273, “renewable energy credits, load management that reduces overall energy usage, or a combination thereof shall not be used by a provider to meet more than 10% of the energy waste reduction standard.”

One frustration is in regards to recently constructed power stations in Negaunee and Baraga that use reciprocating internal combustion engines, or RICE units, to harness natural gas. This method of power generation is said to be more efficient than other, older technologies, but Prestin, R-Cedar River, doesn’t expect authorities to recognize these energy savings because the erection of the facilities was done “too soon.”

Those particular plants opened as the coal-fired Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette, which had provided 90% of the Upper Peninsula’s electricity, closed in 2019.

“When it was shut down and we converted to the RICE units, we reduced what it was then emitting — when it comes to CO2 — by 86%,” said McBroom, R-Waucedah Township.

He said that these new units, which were expected to last until 2049, would likely need to be shut down because the technology to make them carbon-neutral to comply with the new laws does not yet exist.

“So if they come offline anytime between now and then, we’ll still be paying for it ’til 2049,” McBroom said. “Plus we’ll have to pay for whatever we put in to generate electricity alternatively. That possibility is right now calculated to increase our rates by at least 10 to 12 percent. The overall plan statewide is also expected to increase everyone’s rates about 10 percent. So for those of us here in the Upper Peninsula, we’re looking at 20 to 22 percent rate (hikes).”

Several residents and local officials were worried about what lawmakers and enforcers in Lansing will be able to do with land that’s physically far-removed from them. Markkanen, R-Hancock, voiced the problem: “One issue I have with it is (that) this takes local control away from every township government and gives it to an appointed commission — appointed by the governor. And that’s a red flag right there.”

To achieve the clean energy standard, solar and wind power will be among new projects. Many at Tuesday’s meeting feared that since state agencies will have the power to overrule local zoning ordinances, the MPSC will make decisions that directly harm U.P. farms.

McBroom explained that the state is looking to use government subsidies to install solar panels across approximately 350,000 acres, which is about 0.5% of the state’s land mass. His concern is that of the state’s 62-million-acre area, much is already claimed.

“Twenty-two million of those acres are forest land. Seven million of them are cities and streets. 15 percent of our state is wetlands. There’s a huge percentage of the state that’s shoreline,” McBroom said. “What’s that leave for us to utilize to convert into solar panel land? Well, it’s almost entirely agricultural.”

He said that solar companies would be looking for parcels of the “largest, most productive, most contiguous ag land,” and that they would have the money and the power to take such land out from under farmers who lease it.

HB 5120 Sec. 226 (7)(f) states, “The proposed energy facility will not unreasonably diminish farmland, including, but not limited to, prime farmland and, to the extent that evidence of such farmland is available in the evidentiary record, farmland dedicated to the cultivation of specialty crops.”

The shade cover inevitably created by solar panels would reduce the same land’s capacity for crop cultivation. Land with solar panels may still be used for livestock farming, but locals argued it isn’t reasonable to suggest that those who have spent years honing their resources and skills solely for growing vegetables suddenly transition to raising sheep.

One concerned citizen pointed out that sources of clean energy were meant to be supplemental to other methods, not replace them. Prestin agreed that the newly adopted legislation was inadvisable and had the potential to “destabilize” the power grid.

“We have a very fragile economy up here. We have a very fragile energy system. At the end of the day, if the RICE units go down, we have major extension cords that extend into Wisconsin, which is really the only thing that will save us,” Prestin said. “At the end of the day, you need to have some self-reliance. And that’s why the RICE generators were built. The legislation completely ignored that.”

When microphones were passed among the crowd, multiple people suggested that Michigan might look to other countries and learn from their mistakes. Germany, Norway and Sweden were brought up. The latter specifically was used as an example of why intermittent, irregular suppliers of electricity, such as wind and solar, could not be relied upon too heavily and must be backed by other sources.

“We just came from a meeting with the Scandinavians and talked about these issues,” McBroom said. “What they had for a long time was a good balance, but Sweden has now pushed beyond 30% of the intermittent generation, and now their rates are really negatively impacted. You can implement wind and solar to a certain extent, but once it becomes too much, the unbalanced system is going to create these very dangerous situations with the maintenance to the grid.”

Prestin said that the new legislation is both “agressive and regressive,” and said that home codes and building codes would struggle to comply.

“Make no mistake, they want to pull out your gas range, your gas dryer, your gas hot water heater, and your gas furnace,” Prestin said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. They want heat pumps.

They want electric everything. We’re just not there. I’m not saying we can’t get there. If we embrace nuclear? It’s totally possible.”