Rural landowners want the same things as most Americans: the freedom to make decisions about their own property, the ability to support their families, and the opportunity to pass on their way of life to future generations.
But as economic uncertainty, rising input costs, and generational turnover continue to reshape agriculture and land use, many rural landowners are looking for ways to keep their land and keep generating income. Many are turning to clean energy leasing. It’s a way to add another “crop” to their field and keep their farms family-owned and operated.
Evergreen Action and the Private Property Rights Institute (PPRI)—two organizations with different ideological roots but shared goals around energy independence, individual freedoms, and rural economic development—partnered to interview rural stakeholders in Michigan and Pennsylvania about their experiences with energy siting on their land and in their communities. Protecting Property Rights, Powering Rural Economies includes case studies of farmers, township officials, and county leaders with firsthand experience navigating these issues.
The takeaways were clear: Rural landowners want the freedom to decide what’s best for their property, and many are voluntarily choosing to lease their land for energy infrastructure as a way to generate revenue, continue to own their operations, and make ends meet for their families. But too often, that opportunity is blocked by misinformation, permitting delays, and politically motivated restrictions that undermine landowners’ right to make decisions about their own property.
This economic opportunity requires a siting and permitting system that supports, rather than hinders, that right. These resources are intended to guide local decision-makers, legislators, and energy developers as they work to improve permitting processes.
