Wind Power News: Iowa
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
End of Iowa’s wind boom? Renewable rules spark fears
Iowa, a national leader in wind energy, is weighing new rules for siting renewable energy projects – regulations that could shake up a system that’s enabled billions of dollars of investment in the state over the past two decades. The Iowa Utilities Board initiated the rulemaking in May after denying a developer’s petition to site four large solar projects in the same manner as wind farms – by putting local government in control. Debate over siting of renewable energy has been brewing . . . Complete story »
Farmers say MidAmerican reneging on promise to pay for wind turbine construction damage
About two-dozen farmers and landowners in western Iowa say MidAmerican Energy is failing to fully pay them for damage caused when building an 81-turbine wind farm in Ida County. It’s another point of tension in the relationship between rural residents and the Des Moines company, which has made Iowa a national leader in wind generation, building about 3,000 turbines across the state. The group filed a complaint with the utility, owned by billionaire Warren Buffett, saying the company has failed . . . Complete story »
New wind turbine project in Winnebago, Worth counties brings concerns
The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors heard some concerns about a new wind turbine project in the works in the northern part of the county and decided to do some further research on the topic before making any decisions. The Worthwhile Wind Energy Center is a proposed wind development in Worth and Winnebago counties on private land, according to a statement by the developer, Invenergy. The Chicago-based company has been working with landowners since 2018, but it is not expected . . . Complete story »
Do you want control over your land?
Letter to the editor, farmers, ranchers, landowners and anyone interested in the consequences of government officials making harmful decisions. The Iowa Utilities Board is proposing the use of eminent domain with wind and solar energy. Eminent domain is the right of a government to expropriate private property for public use. This means even if you do not give a wind developer or utility company access to your land, the IUB could (according to this proposal) still run transmission lines through . . . Complete story »
Stop eminent domain in Iowa
Eminent domain is the process used to take your private property to be used for what the government determines to be more beneficial. It is what the Iowa Utilities Board has proposed through a rule change, Docket NO. RMU-2020-0028, to make the process of building more industrial wind sites and the transmission necessary to transmit it to eastern states. The Iowa Utilities Board is made up of three appointed, unelected, people making decisions for everybody. Their plan is affecting everyone . . . Complete story »
Turbine issues fixed in Osceola County
SIBLEY—A wind farm run by a Juno Beach, FL-based energy company is finally in full compliance with a conditional use permit that allows the farm to operate in Osceola County near Harris. David Levy, a lawyer representing NextEra Energy Resources, provided an update on the company’s compliance status during the county board of supervisors’ meeting Tuesday in Sibley. The energy company had been granted the permit in March 2019 for a turbine blade replacement project. However, NextEra was required to . . . Complete story »
N’West Iowa counties mull proposed rule
Some N’West Iowa officials consider a new proposal by the Iowa Utilities Board a power grab. The utilities board is considering adopting new administrative rules regarding renewable electric power-generating facilities that some N’West Iowa counties fear would increase its eminent domain capabilities. The Osceola County Board of Supervisors approved drafting a letter opposing the proposed rules, which the county feared would override its control in greenlighting construction and placement of wind turbines and other renewable power-generating facilities. “I don’t think . . . Complete story »
County to petition IUB rules change regard local authority for solar, wind projects
The Story County Board of Supervisors will address topics of portable radios and renewable energy during its special 8:30 a.m. meeting today. Board to petition to Iowa Utilities Board The board will address its concerns regarding proposed rule changes from the Iowa Utilities Board which would affect the county’s jurisdictional power to approve renewable projects without IUB approval. In May, the IUB drafted rules that would make them a sole authority to approve wind and solar energy projects in the . . . Complete story »
Oppose rule changes for wind power
The Iowa Utilities Board is proposing rule changes for industrial wind farms that will allow condemnation of private property and issue permits intended to “streamline” the application process and construction of wind farms. You only have until June 22 to comment on the proposed changes on their open docket comment form at: iub.iowa.gov/online-services/open-docket-comment-form. They ware docket RMU-2020-0028 and docket RMU-2019-0024. I object to the proposed changes for the following reasons: First, they give an unfair advantage to industrial wind. All . . . Complete story »
Iowa considers major changes in siting of renewables
On May 22, 2020, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) opened a rulemaking proceeding that will change 20 years of precedent on siting of wind farms and, for the first time, establish rules aimed directly at siting solar projects and energy storage projects. Since 1997, wind projects in Iowa have not had to obtain a generating certificate from the IUB so long as the project was designed with less than 25 MW of nameplate capacity (the trigger under the state generating certificate . . . Complete story »
