These old industrial sites in Michigan are toxic—but they could become a solar gold mine
With a little effort, these spaces can be more than a permanent blight on the landscape. Kelly Thayer, senior policy advocate with the state's Environmental Law & Policy Center, envisions a future where Michigan's brownfields are transformed into sites for diverse solar energy projects.
The potential for new solar siting in Michigan aligns with growing nationwide support of the technology, according to a survey co-led by the University of Michigan. Among residents living within three miles of solar energy developments, positive opinions about the projects outnumbered negative ones by almost a 3-to-1 ratio.
For the study, a large-scale solar project was defined as a ground-mounted photovoltaic system that generates one megawatt or more of direct current. The majority of respondents lived near new greenfield solar sites—'disturbed' industrial locations or retiring coal plants were strongly preferred for solar development over forests or productive farmland.
Thayer, from Frankfort on the shores of Lake Michigan, said there is already precedent for solar on former industrial land in his home state. A 120-megawatt solar array on a long-vacant mining operation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, for example, was met by residents with little controversy.
Yet, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources proposal to transition a former oil-and-gas plot in Gaylord to solar energy was met with substantial public backlash in January. Following resident protests against tree and grassland removal for the solar array, the agency extended the public comment period and halted state land leases for solar projects.
This limbo period gives Michigan a chance to readjust its solar siting approach, with an emphasis on distressed lands that would allow the technology to flourish, Thayer said.
'The work now is to chart the near-term future of how Michiganders get their energy,' said Thayer, whose advocacy group focuses on renewable energy and clean transportation solutions for the Midwest. 'This can be talked about through the lens of climate or the environment, but the public health ramifications are enormous as well.'
A Vital Asset
Last year, the state of Michigan won a $129 million grant from the EPA for utility-scale renewable energy projects, including those on brownfields. These 'orphan' industrial plots—landfills, auto plants and other properties left to molder by private industry—are vital assets for a state seeking to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, noted Thayer.
Michigan aims to be a national climate action leader, driven by Governor Gretchen Whitmer's 2050 carbon neutrality goals. Among the tenets of the MI Healthy Climate Plan is streamlining the siting process for wind, solar and battery storage projects. State legislation like Senate Bill 277, meanwhile, includes solar facilities as a permitted use for farmers under the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Act.
Thayer's organization, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, also views retiring coal plants as potential solar energy hubs, considering that they are already connected to the energy grid. For instance, the organization helped develop a blueprint for the Dan E. Karn coal plant site, slated as the future home for an 85-megawatt solar energy site expected to be operational in 2026.
'These are flat, highly-disturbed sites that also have a substation in place that's hard-wired to the grid,' Thayer said. 'Having that infrastructure saves millions in development, and saves time because it takes four or five years to add new energy resources to the grid.'
Some Michigan clean energy projects are hindered by years-long grid connection delays as well as restrictive zoning ordinances that impede their development. In addition, Michigan lacks a comprehensive database of brownfields that detail key characteristics sought by solar developers, said Julie Lowe, brownfield coordinator for the remediation and redevelopment division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
'Developers will have to use multiple resources to site projects on known sites of contamination,' said Lowe. 'They need databases for tree canopy cover, or have to do site reconnaissance to eyeball the slope and see if it fits their needs.'
An Array of Solar Options
EGLE does offer a list of guidelines for anyone asking to purchase a contaminated property for renewable energy development. Prospective buyers must conduct a two-phase Baseline Environmental Assessment before moving ahead with a project. Due diligence may encompass a deep dive into a site's former use, as well as comprehensive testing of soil or groundwater samples.
'You may have to go back to the 19th century to determine what the property was used for,' Lowe said. 'And there might be drilling or radar work needed to see if there's something in the ground. For brownfields, we see solvents [in the soil] for dry cleaning or auto repair, because those were chemicals used in those activities.'
Various brownfield incentives and programs may subsidize environmental remediation or any additional assessment a site requires, added Lowe. EGLE's Brownfield Tax Increment Financing utilizes the rise in tax revenue from a revitalized site to reimburse developers for the cleanup and demolition work that generated that increase.
That is not to say developers should always foot the bill, said Thayer. A series of 'polluter pay' laws—which force parties responsible for contamination to pay for site cleanup and remediation costs—are currently being proposed by Michigan lawmakers. Thayer also advocates for virtual power plant programs, enabling utilities to pay homeowners with solar and battery storage to contribute stored power during peak demand.
Community solar, which involves installing arrays on vacant lots or working farmlands, can be another multibillion-dollar boon for Michigan, said Thayer. According to a 2021 study by Michigan State University, community solar could deliver a nearly $1.5 billion boost to the state's economy over the next 30 years.
For now, Michigan officials should prioritize cleaning up and advancing solar energy projects on the state's innumerable polluted brownfields, said Sarah Mills, a University of Michigan researcher who directs the Center for EmPowering Communities at the Graham Sustainability Institute.
'I go to meetings about large renewables projects, and it's mostly for farmland,' said Mills. 'People will say, 'Why here, why not a brownfield?' From a community acceptance perspective, this is what most people consider a no-brainer.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
88% of Students FAKE Progressive Views!!
88% of students report faking their views to 'fit in.' I'm Tomi Lahren, more next. Why do so many young people enter higher education with conservative views and leave as full blown leftist communists? Well, a deep dive study between 2023 and 2025 conducted at Northwestern and the University of Michigan is shedding new light on that enigma. Turns out 88% of students felt COMPELLED to adopt a more 'progressive' facade in order to fit and be accepted by their classmates and educators. The researchers went on to say that 'in a campus environment where grades, leadership, and peer belonging often hinge on fluency in performative morality, young adults quickly learn to rehearse what is safe. The result is not conviction but compliance.' Trouble is, this act or facade, when performed long enough, starts to take over. Fake it till you make it but 'making it' means becoming a full blown liberal leftist! So what can be done? Here's my advice to parents, teach your kids from a VERY early age to stand up for what they believe in. Condition them to be critical thinkers, to grow and evolve, BUT to always maintain their convictions. That's the only way to college-proof your students and help prevent them from falling into that 88% of campus FAKERS! I'm Tomi Lahren and you watch my show 'Tomi Lahren is Fearless' at Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
The Hill
7 hours ago
- The Hill
DEI closures at colleges leave students with ‘a different reality'
The student experience is changing at universities after multiple diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and centers have been shut down. Schools such as the University of Michigan have shuttered their diversity centers after the Trump administration began targeting institutions and pulling funding, while other universities in places such as Texas, Florida and Kansas had to close programs due to state law. The shift is creating a new environment this academic year even as experts say antisemitism and racism are among top concerns for students. Campus Reform's anti-DEI tracker found that as of April, 20 states have passed legislation that bans various diversity initiatives on campuses, ranging from dedicated centers to trainings. Most of the states have been Republican strongholds, but other schools including Michigan and Columbia University shuttered some DEI initiatives due to pressure and an executive order from President Trump early in his administration targeting diversity efforts both on and off campuses. 'The students who make America's colleges and universities diverse will be returning to the same conditions but a different reality,' said Shaun Harper, a professor of education, business, and public policy at the University of Southern California, adding, 'they will return to campus climates that are still racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, ableist and otherwise discriminatory.' 'But they're going to be returning to places that no longer have the infrastructure to address those challenges. So, the challenges remain, but there will be fewer resources, fewer policies and fewer people to protect students from those realities,' he added. The Trump administration is seeking to ban DEI nationally, but has faced legal setbacks. Earlier this year, the Education Department sent out a 'Dear Colleague' letter threatening to pull funding to schools with what it called 'illegal' DEI. It also sent out a letter to K-12 districts demanding they certify there were no DEI programs in classrooms. A judge recently ruled against both of those memos, concluding they violated proper administrative procedures for issuing new guidance to schools. 'While the Department is disappointed in the judge's ruling, judicial action enjoining or setting aside this guidance has not stopped our ability to enforce Title VI protections for students at an unprecedented level. The Department remains committed to its responsibility to uphold students' anti-discrimination protections under the law,' a spokesperson for the Department of Education said. But as the administration loses in court and many small schools do not have big diversity programs, some students might see little change. Marjorie Hass, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, said that between the administration's court losses and the lack of diversity programs at many schools to begin with, 'in many ways students will find that little has changed.' 'Smaller campuses tend not to have specific centers or institutes, they tend to be more likely to have individuals that are there helping each student succeed. So in some cases, I think we don't want to overestimate how much has actually changed. Many campuses are continuing to stay the course,' Hass said. But in some big universities with substantial programs, changes will be hard not to notice. Advocates say these initiatives were meant to help students who deal with discrimination on campus or help individuals feel included and welcomed, emphasizing these initiatives were never strictly limited to any one group of people. While some multicultural events or centers have designated names such as the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs at the University of South Carolina, their defenders argue they were never made to exclude others. These centers and programs provided 'welcoming environments for students based on backgrounds identity, while also being open and accessible to other students, creating a sense of belonging for students from underrepresented communities or marginalized communities,' said Paulette Granberry Russell, president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education. 'A lot of those centers have been either eliminated or determined as spaces that were open to others, but with a clearly stated expectation that those centers had to be open and welcoming for all,' she added. For students who used these resources, options will be limited going forward. Some universities may have revamped their programs or names to continue providing at least some of the services they offered before, a tactic the Trump administration has decried and is hoping to root out. Students in schools where these programs have been completely eliminated could protest, although stricter protest rules have been put in place on many campuses this year. 'We also know that students have a long tradition to draw on a protest. I don't know that we have seen campus protests around these issues yet, but I think it will, certainly will bear watching,' said Hass. But advocates say it shouldn't be up to students or faculty, calling on university leadership to take charge. 'I don't think it should be students stepping up in this moment. I think it should be our campus leaders and administrators who are stepping up in this moment,' said Kaleb Briscoe, an associate professor of adult and higher education at the University of Oklahoma. 'It should not be students, it should not be faculty, it should be leaders,' Briscoe said, adding 'students will just fall in the cracks of these gaps.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
School tax ballot initiative begins gathering signatures
(The Center Square) – A new ballot initiative is moving forward with gathering signatures in Michigan. The proposal is a constitutional amendment sponsored by Invest in Michigan Kids. It would add an additional 5% tax on all taxable income more than $1 million for joint filers and $500,000 for single filers. This would be in addition to existing state income taxes. 'Michigan's children have been paying the price for decades of disinvestment,' said Rachelle Crow-Hercher, from the Invest in MI Kids campaign, in a statement. 'This initiative helps move us closer to ensuring every child—regardless of race, place, or background—has access to the resources they need to succeed.' Advocates have labeled the tax a 'small, fair share surcharge.' Many groups have already joined to push back against the initiative, including Americans For Prosperity, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Association of Michigan. Those organizations have labeled the initiative 'dangerous.' 'Make no mistake that this proposal is a jobs killer. It would wreck Michigan small businesses, and that's the same thing as wrecking the Michigan economy,' said Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, as previously reported by The Center Square. Advocates for the initiative argue against that claim, saying it will only tax the richest Michiganders, while raising much-needed money for Michigan public schools. Small business owner Jordan Else from Ann Arbor, testified before the Michigan Board of Canvassers in support of the proposed 100-word summary of the initiative. 'I want to directly address the claim that this initiative is a 'small business tax'. It's not. It's a tax on the very wealthiest individuals, those making more than 99% of Michiganders. The vast majority of small business owners, like myself, won't be affected at all,' Else said. 'What does affect us is the strength of our public schools. We rely on a well-educated workforce, on students graduating with practical skills, and on strong communities that attract families and customers.' The proposed amendment joins six other proposals that have received approval and are in the process of gathering signatures. One proposal is already set to appear on the ballot. Each proposal must be presented in a 100-word summary to voters. According to state law, the Board of Canvassers is required to determine whether the language of the summaries is 'true and impartial.' Since 1986, Michigan voters approved 34 ballot proposals, defeating 31. A spokesperson for Invest in Michigan Kids told The Center Square it is aiming to collect 700,000 signatures, despite only needing 450,000. This will help account for the margin of error as signatures are validated. Invest in Michigan Kids anticipates the amendment would generate nearly $1 billion for Michigan schools annually. The current language for the initiative is as follows: 'Constitutional amendment to add, beginning in 2027, an additional 5% tax on annual taxable income over $1 million for joint filers and over $500,000 for single filers. This tax is in addition to existing state income taxes, and is to be deposited into the State School Aid Fund and required to be used exclusively on local school district classrooms, career and technical education, reducing class sizes, and recruiting and retaining teachers; and subject funds to annual audits.' Solve the daily Crossword
