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 are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
High court deals another blow to Clean Line project; Upholds decision that it isn’t a public utility
Clean Line Energy’s plans to build a wind power transmission line through Illinois and Iowa took another hit Thursday. The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Rock Island Clean Line project does not meet the state’s definition of a public utility. The decision upheld an August 2016 appellate court ruling that had reversed an earlier decision by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The project route was to begin in Iowa’s O’Brien County, enter Illinois between Cordova and Port Byron, continue . . .
Proposed wind farm meeting brings out critics, supporters
A proposed project would see the construction of 100 wind turbines, spread over two counties in two states. The farm would be built in Freeborn County, Minn. and Worth County, Iowa. On Wednesday, residents on the Minnesota side of the border had their say in whether the project should move forward. Because of the size of the proposed Freeborn Wind Energy Project, the decision of whether to issue a permit falls to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. And part of . . .
RPM hopes to revive wind turbine project SW of Manchester
A Delaware County wind turbine project that was put on hold a couple years ago could happen after all. RPM Access is hoping to build wind turbines southwest of Manchester. The project is being revived due to a change in the proximity requirements between wind towers and eagles’ nests. This is the same company that built the 17 wind turbines in the Elk Wind project near Greeley. A RPM Access representative has told the Delaware County Board of Supervisors that . . .
Moratorium on wind energy discussed
With the filing of Invenergy’s Site Plan given to the county on September 1, the subject of a moratorium resolution was once again a topic of discussion during the regular meeting on Tuesday, September 5. Each Supervisor had the opportunity to comment on the issue before a vote was taken. “We have an ordinance in place that no other wind energy company can come in under the radar or any other way,” Supervisor Chairman Keith Wirtz began. “They have to . . .
Wind turbine vote
The plot thickens! Thursday, Sept. 7, I had a letter in the Reporter questioning the role of the county attorney in our battle to convince the board of supervisors to increase the separation distance of a wind turbine from other peoples property. I ran into her at the fair and asked why the chairman of Planning and Zoning was told to abstain from voting. She said she didn’t know the chairman, had never spoken to him and didn’t know what . . .
Decommissioning agreement questioned
Several concerned landowners were available to pose questions to the Palo Alto County Board of Supervisors regarding the decommissioning agreement concerning wind turbines during their regular meeting Tuesday, September 12. “Have you come to a final conclusion on that [the decomissioning agreement]?” Dean Gunderson Zoning Chairman and landowner began. “We’ve gone over it several times,” Palo Alto County Attorney, Peter Hart, stated. “Why is that between the County and Invenergy and not the landowners?” Supervisor Roger Faulstick questioned. “We are . . .
Supervisors approve turbine decommissioning agreement
During Tuesday’s Clay County Board of Supervisors meeting, the county’s governing board reviewed and approved the agreement between the county and Apex Clean Energy, regarding how the wind turbines in Apex Clean Energy’s Upland Prairie Wind Project would be retired at the end of its life cycle. “Generally what it does is it requires after 17 years, adequate security. Adequate security is listed as … a letter of credit, bond or other form reasonably satisfactory to the county,” Assistant County . . .
Site Plan Application filed by Invenergy
Palo Alto County Zoning Administrator Joe Neary presented the Site Plan Application and Approval Permit filed by Invenergy Company to the Palo Alto County Board of Supervisors during their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 5. Also present during this meeting were Palo Alto County Attorney Peter Hart, Dean Gunderson, Cynthia Berkland, Janna Swanson and Invenergy’s, Mark Zaccone. “We are sharing some information today. On Thursday, August 31, I received electronic copies of the site plan and approval permit,” Neary said. . . .
Is wind energy the direction we want to go?
Last week a guest editorial extolled the potential of wind turbines as a boundless energy source. We all have a nostalgic, mental picture of a single, old-style windmill silhouetted against an evening sky. Picturesque, isn’t it? However, that is not what would be built today! Our beautiful, open countryside would become an industrial complex. The closest image I can think of is the oil fields in Oklahoma. Enormous rigs as far as the eye can see. At least those structures . . .
The ‘fix’
Is the “fix” in? For several months, many of us in Clay County have been trying to convince the board of supervisors to set reasonable distances away from other peoples property since Apex started soliciting easements luring landowners to sign easements waving $10,000 per wind turbine as an inducement. This, of course, would be unnecessary if they had checked with the neighbors before signing the easement. After receiving almost nothing after a couple of meetings with the supervisors, we decided . . .
