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I agree with Del. Tommy Wright that solar farm decisions should be left up to local governments. By taking away decision-making from local governments, the state is effectively taking away the right of citizens to decide what they want, or don’t want, in their communities.

Local governments must be allowed a degree of autonomy to make decisions that benefit their residents. This issue presents a slippery slope that could allow the state to take away more decision-making power and render local governments less effective. If the state keeps taking away this power, at what point will local governments be obsolete?

There are better ways for the state to meet its clean energy mandate: 1) require that all new construction and all renovations of public buildings include installation of rooftop or other configuration of solar; 2) mandate that businesses with large rooftops, such as data centers and retail stores, install rooftop solar without passing the cost on to consumers; and 3) provide grants and low- or no-interest loans for homeowners to install solar on their property.

Solar farms built to serve only data centers and large industrial buildings do not reduce the already existing use of fossil fuels or reduce consumer energy costs. We lose forestry and agricultural resources. Other unused land can be better utilized to build much-needed affordable housing and medical facilities.

It would be a good idea for the General Assembly to consider extending the deadline to go clean so that they can implement legislation that will truly benefit the planet and consumers.

Trudy Berry
Green Bay