State Rep. Matthew Bierlein is standing up for residents he represents in Tuscola County and making sure their voices are heard as decisions impacting their community are made at the state level.

Bierlein recently sent a letter to Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) Chair Dan Scripps regarding a pending application for the Birch Valley Solar project that has been proposed for Arbela Township. The project is slated to occupy over 1,400 acres in total, including hundreds of acres of active farmland.

“I feel a responsibility to clearly communicate the concerns of my constituents, many of whom have been actively engaged in this process from the beginning,” Bierlein wrote. “Residents, local officials, and the Arbela Township Planning Commission have voiced strong and consistent opposition to this project, citing concerns about the loss of prime agricultural land, impacts on rural character, and the scale of the development relative to the township. The Planning Commission ultimately voted to deny the project at the local level, reflecting the will of the community.

“I urge the Commission to carefully weigh the voices of the people who will be directly impacted. My constituents are not asking to be ignored in favor of outside interests. They are asking for meaningful consideration of their concerns, their local ordinances, and their vision for their community.”

Mandates signed into law in 2023 have granted the MPSC broad authority to approve renewable energy projects. Bierlein voted against these plans when they were before the House.

“Once that authority was given, there were inevitably going to be situations across the state and our area just like this one,” Bierlein said. “This isn’t about being pro- or anti-green energy. This is about respecting what residents want and effectively representing their interests and priorities. Local governments and residents must have confidence that their voices matter in decisions of this magnitude. These voices shouldn’t fall on deaf ears while unelected bureaucrats in Lansing decide how they want to reshape a particular community.”