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Man fights proposed power lines
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Translate: FROM English | TO English
Iowa is currently the third largest producer of wind energy in . One land owner is standing in the way of a proposed project in our area.
Dave DeBoe lives north of Ventura . He’s in the path of proposed power transmission lines. They would stretch from a 100 turbine wind farm west of Crystal Lake , all the way to The Lime Creek Power Sub-Station south of Manly.
This summer DeBoe found surveyors working on his property. He was surprised to find out they were marking the path for a row of 85 foot tall power lines going across his land. Now he’s fighting to get the company to move the project somewhere else.
He’s worried, because once the poles are in, his scenic view will disappear. “That’s why we bought this place, we wanted the quiet, we wanted the beauty of nature, and they’re gonna come down here with some nasty poles and change all that for us,” he said.
“They” are the Florida Power and Light Energy Company. Their spokesman told us in a phone interview “We are trying to bring more clean renewable energy to the state and without the lines the proposed wind project will not go forward.”
DeBoe likes the idea of wind energy, but he has a better path for the lines to follow. “If you drive down our road here on 305th it would affect 11 homes so we’re asking them to basically go elsewhere,” he said.
DeBoe’s neighbors agree too. “They should be trying to find the best route that affects the least amount of people,” said Don Elbert.
DeBoe is the last line of defense for the Elbert’s and his other neighbors. “I’m basically not just fighting for myself I’m fighting for the other family’s along this road,” he said.
Now it’s up to the Iowa utilities board to make a final decision on the project. He’s ready with a lawyer if they try to condemn his land. “At that point, see you in court; it’s basically at that point the big corporation versus the little guy,” said DeBoe
The Iowa Utilities Board says all 46 land owners affected by the line in Cerro Gordo have signed off on the project. The board is currently reviewing a second route revision filed just last week. A construction company is waiting on the boards decision before work can start.
By Cole Mathisen
This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.
The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.
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