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.
Taxpayers appeal wind turbine TIF ruling – again
Sibley, Iowa – After eight months in the hands of a judge, a ruling has finally been made on the taxpayers of Osceola County versus Osceola County and the City of Harris case. But after hearing the ruling, the taxpayers have appealed the ruling again. The case is in regard to the Osceola County Board of Supervisors’ establishment of a TIF District to provide funds to be used to help finance infrastructure in the City of Harris. In March 2015, Harris . . . Complete story »
Osceola County TIF lawsuit appealed again
SIBLEY—A final order handed down by a district court judge in a civil case about tax increment financing and wind turbines in Osceola County has been appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court – again. Third Judicial District Judge David Lester ruled on June 5 in favor of the defendants – the county board of supervisors and the city of Harris. They had faced a lawsuit filed during the fall in 2015 by a group of county residents and taxpayers in Osceola County . . . Complete story »
Cardinal-Hickory Creek: Wisconsin residents speak out against proposed power line
Armed with signs, talking points, and even a diorama, dozens of people showed up at the first of two public hearings Wednesday to denounce a proposed power line project through southwestern Wisconsin. One after another they called the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line an unneeded blight on the landscape and a detriment to the environment, property values and economic activity in the Driftless region. Building the 100-mile line – with “monstrous towers ruining the views” between Dubuque and Middleton – would be a . . . Complete story »
The boondoggle of Iowa’s industrial wind turbines
230 government entities in the US alone have banned or blocked industrial wind turbines at the urging of their constituents. Hundreds of homes are directly affected by every large industrial wind installation. These installations cast a long list of negative impacts for 2640 feet, at least that is the distance the wind companies will admit, yet they require county ordinances allow them setbacks from the foundation of homes to be merely 1200-1600 feet. On average only 10% of the residents . . . Complete story »
Iowa County residents voice concerns about wind turbine project
Dozens of residents filed into the Williamsburg Community Center to voice their concerns about Invenergy’s Diamond Trail wind turbine project. Maps were placed out for residents to see which of their neighbors said it was OK for the company to build one of the 78 turbines. “They are too tall. They are unsightly in the daytime and even more so at night,” said Dan Folkman of Iowa County. Folkman’s neighbors did sign-up but he said he understands why. “The money . . . Complete story »
Plain Talk: Share your views on ATC’s proposed southwestern Wisconsin line
The battle over ATC’s plan to build a new high-voltage transmission line from Dubuque to Middleton, with towers as tall as a 17-story building, is far from over. Although the state Public Service Commission has accepted ATC’s preferred route through southwestern Wisconsin, it still hasn’t given the transmission company permission to build it. Instead, it has scheduled another series of hearings for later in the month to gather more views and information about the effects of the line on the . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine setbacks not far enough
When my Grandchildren come to our place, we fly kites, watch eagles and roam the trails we have mowed along the edge of our property line. Like many people we enjoy our property from fence line to fence line. Setbacks in the agreement (suggested by Invenergy/MidAmerican) from property lines to wind turbines are 650 feet for a 600-foot-tall wind turbine. Setbacks from wind turbines to hog, cattle, and chicken farms – “edge of the structure” (building they are housed in) . . . Complete story »
Farmland owner encourages people not to sign up for wind turbines
I am a retired neurosurgeon having lived and practiced in Eureka for the last 40 years. For a few years after I retired I owned a Ferndale bottoms dairy which I subsequently sold to my daughter and son-in-law. I grew up in Northwestern Iowa and still own farmland there; some of which has been in my family for nearly 100 years. There are many wind turbines in Iowa. 25% of Iowa’s electricity is produced by wind turbines. Iowa is the . . . Complete story »
Farmer files appeal over Black Hawk Co. wind farm
WATERLOO – A farmer is asking the Iowa Supreme Court to stop a planned wind energy project in southern Black Hawk County. Harold Youngblut filed an appeal Thursday challenging District Court Judge Kellyann Lekar’s April 29 ruling in favor of Washburn Wind Energy’s 35-turbine wind farm. The notice filed by Youngblut’s attorney, John Holmes, claims the district court erred when it failed to allow Youngblut and others to testify the turbine locations are currently used for agricultural purposes as defined in . . . Complete story »
Regulators get earful on Alliant rate hike in Cedar Rapids
Alliant officials have said the increases are necessary to cover the costs of infrastructure upgrades, including the statewide application of advanced metering infrastructure or “smart meters,” and the company’s growing portfolio of renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Complete story »
