Rep. Terry Brown

The following commentary was written by State Rep. Terry Brown (D-Pigeon).

As Michigan's leader in the emerging wind energy industry, the Upper Thumb is in a unique and exciting position. We are experiencing a type of economic boom that is entirely new to Michigan. Now that the Harvest Wind Farm has started operating, we are receiving even more positive attention.

We should all be excited about the economic investment and jobs that the wind energy revolution is bringing to the Thumb. Many farmers in the Thumb are leasing their land to wind energy companies and are very happy with the thousands of dollars in extra income they are getting. In addition, they can still farm almost all of the land they lease except the small amount directly around a wind turbine.

Signing a lease with a wind energy company is nothing to rush into, though. If you are approached about leasing your land, don't feel pressured to sign a contract right away. Wind-energy leases usually last at least 20 years, and often much longer.

You will want to take time to talk with your family about this. You will also want to talk with your neighbors about the kinds of offers they are getting. And, most of all, you will want to consult with a qualified attorney and have that person look over the contract.

Various contracts have different terms. They may offer lump-sum payments, yearly lease payments based on acreage, or payments based on the number of turbines or the amount of electricity produced. You need to take the time to understand, and be comfortable with, what you are signing. Make sure the agreement meets your long-term goals, both for your finances and your use of the land.

To make sure our landowners' interests are protected, I am also looking into what can be done at the state level. For example, if you are a landowner, you may sign a 30-year contract with a developer who reserves the right to take an indefinite amount of time to evaluate whether to produce wind energy on your property. If another developer comes along and offers to build a wind turbine, which would earn you more money, you would be trapped in your contract with the first developer.

To protect landowners, some states have enacted laws limiting this "evaluation phase" to five or seven years. This type of protection and other laws are worth considering for Michigan landowners.

We also need to explore other models of wind farm ownership. It is wonderful to have companies come here and invest in us, creating jobs and pouring private money into our communities. In addition to attracting corporate wind farms, though, I want to see the Thumb become a leader in building community-owned wind farms. When residents own a wind farm, they retain control and more of the economic benefits.

As the Thumb moves forward as Michigan’s wind-energy leader, it is important that we continue to have these discussions and learn about how other states have successfully managed this economic transition. I welcome hearing your thoughts, concerns, suggestions or questions regarding wind energy and how we can use it to our full advantage here in the Thumb.

You can call me, toll free, at (888) 254-5284 or e-mail at terrybrown@house.mi.gov.

By working together and leading the way for the rest of Michigan, we can reap the many benefits of wind energy now and well into the future.

State Representative Terry Brown represents the 84th House District, which consists of Huron and Tuscola counties. To subscribe to his e-newsletter and read updates on his legislative work, visit his Web site, house.mi.gov/tbrown.