Groveland Mine Solar
Located in Dickinson County, Michigan, Groveland Mine Solar Farm is an economic development opportunity for the region that will provide new revenue to local governments and create construction jobs. Ground-mounted solar arrays will be sited on public and private lands that include portions of the decommissioned Groveland Mine, which operated from the early 1950s until 1981 under the ownership of the Hanna Mining Company.
Project Highlights
As currently planned, Groveland will generate:
120
Megawatts of Electricity
17,600
Homes Powered Annually
$12M
Guaranteed Local Property Tax Benefit
Endorsements
Organizations that represent residents in Dickinson County and across the UP are supporting Groveland Mine Solar
Operating Engineers 324
"For more than 100 years, Operating Engineers 324 (OE 324) has worked to keep Michigan running. Our over 14,000 members – Heavy Equipment Operators and Technicians - build the highways, bridges, factories, and utilities across this great state from Marquette to Monroe..."
"The Groveland Mine Solar project is a great opportunity – for the townships, for the Upper Peninsula, and for the skilled working people of the region."
Laborers' Union Local 1329
"LIUNA Local 1329, which represents over 800 members across the Upper Peninsula, is a strong advocate for projects that strengthen communities by creating family-supporting union jobs. Working with LIUNA, members have opportunities for advancement and a ladder to the middle class."
Michigan Association of Carpenters & Millwrights
"We write to express our support of the Groveland Mine Solar project. The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights represents 13,000, including five-hundred members in the Upper Peninsula and more than 50 that are Dickinson County residents... We find that our members, and residents of this region, want environmental protection and economic development as well as affordable electricity."
IBEW Local 906
"The proposed solar farm will turn an abandoned industrial site to a clean energy producing site. The farm is a big investment in the region that will create well-paying construction jobs... IBEW 906 represents 350 members across the UP of which 160 workers live in Iron and Dickinson Counties."
The U.P. Building Trades Council
"Groveland Mine Solar has entered into an agreement with the U.P. Building Trades Council to guarantee that the project will be constructed with skilled union labor and provide good, safe and efficient jobs."
The Upper Peninsula Construction Council
"If fully constructed, Groveland Mine Solar will cost in excess of $100 million to build. It is a major investment in the region that will create construction jobs and boost revenues to local taxing entities... We look forward to working on Groveland Mine Solar."
From Brownfield to "Brightfield"
DNR Initiative Gives Historic Mining Site New Life
Photo Credit: Dan Dumas/Kim Swisher Communications
Brownfield sites are often difficult to redevelop due to their previous use – but, through the installation of solar farms, they become “brightfields” that create taxable value for local entities and produce low-cost, renewable energy.
In 2020, Circle Power Renewables won a Michigan Department of Natural Resources contract to develop a solar farm on the site of the former Groveland Mine. WXPR Radio reported on the agreement when it was announced, although the project site featured in the story has since been altered to exclude wetland areas.
Solar at the former Groveland Mine
Groveland Mine Solar will be sited at the corner of Felch, Norway, and Sagola Townships. Ground-mounted solar arrays will be constructed primarily on the site's rocky and sandy terrain, which is the byproduct of the mining and refinement processes used to produce iron ore pellets when Groveland Mine was in operation.
The site meets two important criteria for a solar farm: it is relatively flat, and it is located near existing transmission lines, which allows the project to competitively transmit energy to the electric grid.
Full Access to Groveland Ponds
All DNR Roads will remain accessible, from project construction to operation
Zero impact to wetland areas
Continued access to Groveland Ponds
All DNR Roads and recreation sites will continue to be accessible.
Groveland Mine Solar will be located approximately 12 miles northeast of Iron Mountain and approximately 3 miles southeast of the M-95 and M-69 intersection.
Visitors will enjoy the same access to the Groveland Ponds that they enjoy today, and no Michigan DNR forest roads will be closed — even during construction. Though the areas immediately surrounding the solar arrays will be fenced, visitors to nearby hunting and fishing habitats will continue to have the same access to Michigan DNR forest roads near the solar array clusters that they have today, allowing for continued recreational enjoyment of the area.
$12 Million in Local Property Taxes
Taxing entities that will benefit from Groveland Mine Solar include: Felch, Norway, and Sagola Townships, Dickinson County,
Dickinson-Iron ISD, North Dickinson Schools, and Norway-Vulcan Area Schools
Schools
Property tax revenues would fund the North Dickinson Sinking Fund and Norway-Vulcan Debt Fund. These millages stay in the district and directly benefit local facilities.
Roads
The project would positively impact both county and township road budgets.
Fire & Safety
Tax revenues from Groveland Mine Solar would help fund local fire departments, ambulance services, and Enhanced 911.
Our Property Tax Guarantee
Circle Power believes communities should see concrete benefits from projects like Groveland Mine Solar. This is why we are offering the Property Tax Guarantee, which establishes a floor for tax payments to local entities if Groveland Mine Solar is built.
The Guarantee is a legally-binding agreement we are offering to Felch, Norway, and Sagola Townships. It would commit Groveland Mine Solar to make minimum revenue payments to the project’s local taxing entities over a 30 year period. If less than the entire project is built, the Guarantee would be adjusted proportionally. Read more in the Iron Mountain Daily News article, "Groveland Mine Solar offers local property tax guarantees".
Local officials need reliable, predictable revenue streams to make smart investments in equipment and infrastructure and save for a rainy day. Unfortunately, there has been a trend of corporations taking advantage of the so-called “Dark Store” loophole to lower their tax obligations to local governments. Additionally, utilities have challenged the value of wind turbines at the State Tax Tribunal years after the projects were constructed based on changes in state tax policy. The Property Tax Guarantee guards against these outcomes.
Proud Partners of the U.P. Building Trades Council
Groveland Mine Solar has signed a letter of intent with the Upper Peninsula Building Trades Council to guarantee that the project will be constructed with union labor:
"We understand that the Council supports the Project, and that the Project will be constructed under the terms of a Project Labor Agreement negotiated with the Council... the Project will provide good, safe and efficient jobs."
Project Timeline
An overview of the schedule for completing Groveland Mine Solar
Groveland Mine Solar is in the development phase. Circle Power is currently working to complete environmental, engineering, and electric grid interconnection studies as well as secure permits. Once the solar farm is constructed, it will provide clean, reliable power to to the region for at least 30 years.
About Us
Circle Power Renewables develops solar, wind, and battery storage projects. We take a thoughtful, locally-focused approach to building reliable, clean, and inexpensive electric generation. Our team has decades of experience in the renewable energy industry, helping to power thousands of homes and businesses with clean electricity.
To learn more, visit our website at www.circlepowerco.com.
