Large scale solar subject of town hall

The Osceola County Planning Commission and MSU Extension have initiated a planning process and community conversation around large scale solar. As Michigan transitions to using more renewable energy, many Osceola residents are wondering about the good, the bad, and the trade-offs related to large scale solar. 
As part of this planning process, the project steering committee has organized a Townhall meeting and is inviting the community to learn more about large-scale solar. This event is on March 20 from 7-8:30 PM at the Osceola County Fairgrounds Community Building, 101 Recreation Avenue, Evart.  The featured speaker will be Dr. Sarah Mills from the University of Michigan, a leading authority on solar energy in Michigan. 
This planning effort is funded with a grant from Lawrence Berkely National Labs with technical support from Michigan State University and University of Michigan. Due to local interest in being prepared for the possibility of large-scale solar, Osceola County was selected as part of a national effort to better understand how to engage in community-based planning around renewable energy.  While there are many kinds of renewable energy, this project focuses on large-scale solar, such as 40 acres or more. 
There will be opportunities to ask questions at this event and participate in a survey about large-scale solar.  Although the event is free and open to the public, registration is highly recommended.  Those who register prior to March 18, and attend the meeting will receive a complimentary gift. Register at https://events.anr.msu.edu/OsceolaSolar/
After learning about large-scale solar on March 20, participants and interested residents will be invited to a follow up meeting on April 11 also at the Community Building/Fairgrounds in Evart from 7-8:30 PM. The purpose of the April 11 meeting is to review an inventory of local resources such as site selection mapping, hear an analysis of the local survey results, and evaluate and discuss planning goals related to large-scale solar.
This two-part process will result in a planning study that Osceola County and the Townships can use, or modify, to meet their planning needs related to large-scale solar. Questions about the project can be directed to Mary Reilly, MSU Extension, reillym8@msu.edu.