HB 4028 amends the Michigan Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act primarily by changing definitions in Section 13 and repealing Part 8 of the act. The bill updates the statutory definitions of “site,” “transmission line,” “utility system resource cost test,” “wind energy conversion system,” and “wind energy resource zone.” In practical terms, these definitions are used throughout the broader energy law framework governing renewable energy, energy waste reduction, wind zoning, and related utility regulation.
The bill also repeals Part 8 of 2008 PA 295, which is the portion of the law associated with zoning exemptions for large-scale solar, wind, and energy storage facilities, according to the bill caption. The bill is tie-barred to HB 4027, meaning it does not take effect unless that companion bill is enacted. This indicates HB 4028 is part of a larger legislative package rather than a standalone change.
Its impact on state law is to narrow or remove the existing statutory framework for certain renewable energy facility zoning exemptions while preserving and updating key definitions used elsewhere in the act. Because the bill amends a foundational energy statute, it affects utilities, renewable energy developers, local governments, regulators, and customers subject to renewable energy and energy waste reduction requirements. The repeal of Part 8 is the most significant substantive change, as it would alter how large-scale clean energy projects are treated under state law.
The general sentiment around the bill appears mixed and somewhat divided. The committee reported it favorably without amendment by a 10-7 vote, and the House later passed the immediate-effect roll call 58-48, suggesting support from a majority but with substantial opposition. The close votes indicate the bill was controversial rather than broadly consensus-driven.
The main point of contention appears to be the repeal of zoning exemptions for large-scale solar, wind, and energy storage facilities, which likely pits renewable energy developers and state-level clean energy policy supporters against local control advocates and opponents of state preemption. The tie-bar to HB 4027 also suggests the bill is part of a coordinated policy change, which may have heightened debate over the broader package’s effects on siting, zoning, and renewable energy development.
HB 4028 would amend the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act by revising statutory definitions and repealing Part 8 of 2008 PA 295, which the bill caption identifies as the section governing zoning exemptions for large-scale solar, wind, and energy storage facilities. This would change how the act applies to renewable energy facility siting and local zoning, while leaving the rest of the energy waste reduction and renewable energy framework in place. Because the bill is tie-barred to HB 4027, its legal effect depends on enactment of the companion bill.
The bill appears to have received qualified support but also significant opposition. It was reported from committee 10-7 without amendment and later passed the House on an immediate-effect roll call 58-48, showing that it had enough support to advance but not broad bipartisan consensus. The narrow margins suggest the proposal was politically contentious, especially on issues involving renewable energy siting and local zoning authority.
The central controversy is the repeal of Part 8, which the bill caption describes as eliminating zoning exemptions for large-scale solar, wind, and energy storage facilities. Supporters likely view the change as part of a broader restructuring of energy siting and regulation, while opponents likely see it as affecting renewable energy development and local land-use authority. The tie-bar to HB 4027 also indicates the bill is part of a package, which may have raised concerns about the combined policy impact rather than the definitions-only text of HB 4028 itself.