“I think that 90 days is very little to ask for what’s going to affect this county and the people who live in this county — how they live, how safe they are and what their health is — for the next 30 or 40 years,” Cory said.

Zoning/Planning Iowa

“I don’t think our ordinance with a 60 decibel sound limit and no word of a setback from an occupied residence protects my health and well-being,” McGarvey said. “In effect, they have trespass rights on my property with ice throw, blade throw, whatever. That isn’t right.” Resident Greg Cory joined those calling for county government leaders to start the discussion now.

Zoning/Planning Iowa

Opposition to those projects is also growing. Lucas Nelsen, a policy program associate with the Center for Rural Affairs, says there are reasons for those objections.

General Iowa

The project still needs to go before the boards of adjustment in the two counties to obtain necessary conditional use permits before being finalized. The Dickinson County Board of Adjustment will hold a hearing on the matter July 24th.

General Iowa

But MidAmerican told the board the project would be economically feasible only if it's allowed to retain 100 percent of the PTCs. The IRS allows wind farm owners to requalify for the PTC for an additional 10 years under the 80/20 rule that requires no more than one-fifth of the fair market value of the re-powered turbine to be used equipment.

Taxes & Subsidies Iowa

President Donald Trump has come under fire from wind-energy advocates for comments he made during a recent speech in Cedar Rapids. While promoting his “America First” energy plan, Trump stated, “I don’t want to just hope the wind blows to light up your homes and your factories … as the birds fall to the ground.”

Energy Policy USA Iowa

Besides taking exception to the procedural tack chosen by MidAmerican, the tech companies said the commission should decide the prudence of the proposed investment instead of doing it when the utility fields its next rate case, which will be at least a decade. ..."The board must thoroughly consider the proposal in a deliberative process to ensure that it arrives at the right decision."

Taxes & Subsidies USA Iowa

This 2.5 MW Clipper model C-96 turbine, part of NextEra's Endeavor I Wind Energy Center, burned for hours before this video was taken. The video shows the turbine's massive blade fall to the ground after first standing on its end before collapsing into a trail of black smoke and flames. The Endeavor I facility is located in Osceola County, Iowa. The turbines stand 420 feet tall including the 153-foot long blades; rotor diameter of 314-feet (96 meters). The 100 MW facility includes 40 turbines and was placed in service in 2008.  

Safety Structural Failure Iowa

Garner said the turbine in question is a 2.5 mega-watt Clipper turbine, located on the organization's Endeavor I Wind Energy Center in Osceola County. There is a second Endeavor energy center also located in the county, both beginning operation in 2008. 

Safety Structural Failure Iowa

The Ocheyedan Fire Department was called to the scene ...They stood by after the decision was made to let the fire burn itself out.

Safety Structural Failure Iowa

“So when Invenergy talks about most of the time the noise will be controlled and most of the time the lights won’t hit your house and It'll be one or two%. Well I know what it's like and it's huge when you are the 1 or two%."

Impact on People Minnesota Iowa

Municipalities, such as Ames, Iowa, are the primary beneficiaries of a lapsed state tax credit for renewable energy

Taxes & Subsidies Iowa

During this week’s Clay County Board of Supervisor’s meeting, county supervisors shared information, updates and asked questions regarding concerns raised about wind turbines that were stated at a prior meeting.

Zoning/Planning Iowa

During Tuesday's Clay County Board of Supervisor's meeting, county supervisors shared information, updates and asked questions regarding concerns raised about wind turbines that were stated at a prior meeting. Named the Upland Prairie Wind project, the proposed endeavor by Apex noted on its website that the project will produce 300 megawatts of energy, powering 102,000 homes. The wind energy project would see wind turbines in the northwest part of Clay County, around the townships of Waterford and southern Lone Tree.

Zoning/Planning Iowa

There are over a hundred Ida County residents crammed into the county courthouse who are worried. "There's a lot of concern out there," said Brett Bergman, a resident in Ida County. Nearly all of them are unhappy with the implementation of Wind Turbines in Ida County.

Impact on People Iowa

'We've become a dumping ground for wind turbines'

Impact on People Noise Shadow Flicker Iowa

"They're just greedy," said Fleenor, 64, who, with his wife, Diane, built their dream home seven years ago in Ida County and planned to retire there. "I'd move if I could," said Fleenor, who struggles to sleep because a large bank of windows designed to give him a bucolic view of a pond he built is filled instead each night with synchronized blinking red lights mounted on top of the turbines.

Impact on Landscape Impact on People Iowa

Dennis Meyer referenced comments that were made in an article about the decision being about the money that will come into the county coffers. “You have given into the wind energy companies and allowed them to tell the county what works for them,” he said. “You have taken it totally out of the farmers and the property owners that are going to live around them. You also said you are doing what’s best for the majority of the county with no regard to adjacent landowners.”

Zoning/Planning Iowa

The Office of Consumer Advocate, part of the Iowa attorney general's office, said MidAmerican is unfairly benefiting by seeking to pass through to ratepayers $3.7 million in costs for producing wind energy when wholesale energy prices are negative while keeping the associated federal production tax credits.

General Iowa

As the O’Brien County Assessment of Wind Energy Conversion Property ordinance requires, MidAmerican Energy Company (MEC) recently reported to the assessor’s office the final net acquisition cost figure for the recently completed and commissioned O’Brien Wind Energy Project located in northern O’Brien County along Highway 18 near Sanborn.

Taxes & Subsidies Iowa