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MidAmerican Energy faces opposition to central Iowa wind farm

MidAmerican Energy Co. is fighting a proposal by a central Iowa county that would require 1.5-mile setbacks between wind turbines and homes as the state's largest utility faces public health concerns over its wind turbines.

The Madison County Board of Public Health passed a resolution recommending the setbacks. The resolution says there is the "potential for negative health [effects] associated with commercial wind turbines and that current setbacks are inadequate to protect public health."

The six-member Madison County Board of Supervisors did not take action on the setback issue during an Aug. 27 meeting. The supervisors will consider an ordinance on Sept. 10 that puts a moratorium of all wind and solar farm projects proposed in the county after Jan. 1, 2019. The moratorium would expire Jan. 1, 2022.

The moratorium would not affect the company's proposal to expand its 250-MW Arbor Hill Wind Farm (Wind XI); Madison County already approved a 30-MW expansion of that project. But a citizens group called the Madison County Coalition for Scenic Preservation alleged in a lawsuit that the county improperly issued the permit for the wind farm expansion. The group lost in court and has filed for an appeal.

Opponents and supporters of wind power development voiced concerns at the Aug. 27 Board of Supervisor meeting.

Adam Jablonski, director of MidAmerican's renewable energy program, told the board that a 1.5-mile setback "would completely wipe out any future wind development in Iowa," according to The Des Moines Register. MidAmerican has set a goal to reach 100% renewable power.

Jablonski cited a report by researchers from the University of Iowa and the Iowa Environmental Council on the public health effects of wind turbines.

The authors reviewed other studies on links between public health and wind turbines and concluded, "There is no authoritative evidence that sound from wind turbines represents a risk to human health among neighboring residents."

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said during an Aug. 27 news conference that she supports local control of wind turbine permits, not a statewide standard, according to news reports.

The American Wind Energy Association ranks Iowa second in the nation for installed wind capacity, with 8,957 MW.