Author: Seth Nelson Published: 09/25/2025 Evergreen Action
Unique right-left partnership launches new campaign showing how restrictive siting rules threaten property rights and rural economies
A new report from the Private Property Rights Institute (PPRI) and Evergreen Action finds that farmers and local officials across Michigan and Pennsylvania want fair, transparent siting rules that protect landowners’ rights to lease their land for energy projects. The report also marks the launch of a new partnership between the two organizations to advance state legislative advocacy, communications, and public education on this issue.
Read the full report here.
“Landowners should have the ability to make decisions about their own property without government overreach, full stop,” said Private Property Rights Institute Executive Director Charlie Kolean. “We heard directly from people who want to lease land for energy development to keep farms and multi-generational properties in family hands. But too often, permitting delays and politically motivated restrictions undermines their rights. We’re hoping to change that.”
“We’re witnessing a troubling new trend: state and local governments targeting energy siting on private property,” said Evergreen Action States Advocacy Director Courtney Brady. “Even though our two organizations rarely agree, we are coming together to show that protecting landowners’ ability to host projects like solar energy shouldn’t be a partisan issue. When farmers and landowners can choose to add these revenue-generating projects on their land, they gain a reliable new source of income—and we all benefit from cheaper, more reliable power on the grid. That’s what this partnership is about.”
For many farmers facing tight margins and unpredictable weather, leasing for energy infrastructure has become a lifeline. Nationwide, these leases now generate roughly $2 billion annually—income that helps families cover property taxes, preserve multi-generational farms, and strengthen local economies. Yet, restrictive local rules and organized opposition are spreading, putting hundreds of projects and millions of dollars in potential landowner income at risk.
“The stories and experiences featured in this report reflect what we hear every day from our members,” said Renewable Energy Farmers of America Executive Director Jeff Risley. “Farmers and ranchers want the freedom to consider renewable energy opportunities, and in many, many cases, these projects strengthen their operations, keep family farms viable, and bring real benefits to their communities.”
The report features case studies from farmers, township officials, and county leaders with firsthand experience in energy siting. Their stories reinforce a clear message: landowners want the freedom to make their own choices—and many are voluntarily leasing land to generate stable revenue.
“America has always counted on farmers to produce necessary, valuable commodities. Energy is as necessary to American security as food,” said Michigan Conservative Energy Forum Executive Director Ed Rivet. “We shouldn’t let government restrictions prevent landowners from using their land as they choose, and serving our nation’s well-being at the same time. American-made energy is secure energy.”
“The Conservative Energy Network of Pennsylvania has played a significant role in advocating for farm families and landowners in the Commonwealth to the extent that we are seeing more farmers embracing solar for their own farming operations,” said Conservative Energy Network of Pennsylvania Executive Director Jim Gregory. “Our support of this effort is not just with words, but with actions.”
PPRI and Evergreen Action come from sharply different ideological roots but share a commitment to energy independence, individual freedoms, and thriving local economies. Together, they partnered to elevate the voices of rural stakeholders in Michigan and Pennsylvania and to provide guidance for policymakers, local leaders, and developers to improve permitting processes, respect landowner rights, and expand rural economic opportunities.
This report is just the beginning. PPRI and Evergreen Action are launching a joint initiative to continue this work through state legislative advocacy, communications campaigns, and public education, building momentum to protect landowner rights and expand rural economic opportunities.
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