February 14, 2007
Iowa
Iowa
The Board of Supervisors moved closer on Tuesday to a wind energy ordinance that could attract renewable energy businesses to Floyd County.
The Supervisors passed the first reading of an ordinance which would offer a tax exemption to new wind farms or turbines. Wind energy producers would receive a tax exemption on a 20-year, sliding scale. The first year of operation the owner would be taxed on zero percent of the net acquisition costs, adding five percent until year seven, when the rate would stay at 30 percent.
No comments were given during a public hearing on the ordinance.
Supervisor Warren Dunkel said he could think of only one disadvantage of wind energy producers moving into the county.
“The only downside of this that I know of is all those people up around Joice lost their TV reception (after the installation of a wind farm). The company that put those things in put a lot of money in to help those people get cable hooked up,” Dunkel said.
Local designer Dennis White said businesses have cooperated well this residents to address any problems.
“The other thing to keep in mind is that was a very large facility. We’re talking 90-some kilowatts of power and we need to make sure we don’t stop or restrict smaller installations, such as what I am planning on,” he said.
White said he is planning a project a few miles west of Charles City with a 60-foot tower that would generate about 2.5 kilowatts to power for a private home. He said the project is slated for late April or early May.
“We need to make sure we keep promoting the development of the real small wind (energy) generation systems and the small solar harvesting systems,” he added.
The Supervisors are expected to approve the second reading of the ordinance at the Feb. 27 meeting. If it is approved and the third reading is waived, the ordinance will be effective after publication.
By Staci Schwickerath
Staff Writer
Charles City Press
14 February 2007
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/02/14/county-approves-first-reading-of-wind-energy-ordinance/