Photo voltaic power advocates say proposed Scott County photo voltaic ordinance would make most large-scale photo voltaic initiatives unattainable | Politics and elections

The county is eyeing a brand new ordinance that will bar utility-scale photo voltaic initiatives from going up on “prime agricultural farmland,” which makes up practically 85% of unincorporated Scott County.

A spokesperson for Alliant, a Madison-based power firm mentioned this is able to make it unattainable for many if not all large-scale photo voltaic initiatives as power firms attempt to wean off fossil fuels and make a dent in carbon emissions to chase away probably the most disastrous results of local weather change.

Scott County officers say the proposed laws preserve consistent with the county’s purpose of preserving agricultural land for crops, and opens the door for large-scale photo voltaic initiatives. Beforehand, no photo voltaic ordinance was on the books.

The transfer comes after neighboring Clinton County supervisors wrestled with a 1,000-acre photo voltaic undertaking northwest of Grand Mound. Farmers and land house owners leasing the land mentioned it could assist diversify their earnings and would supply a supply of renewable power for the world. Others mentioned it could take up an enormous swath of farm land in Clinton County that may very well be used for rising crops.

Scott County hasn’t fielded any official purposes for large-scale photo voltaic panel operations but, based on county workers.

However Alliant Vitality has been speaking with land house owners in western Scott County for a potential 100 megawatt photo voltaic power operation, mentioned an Alliant Vitality spokesperson, Justin Foss.

That undertaking would not be possible beneath Scott County’s proposed ordinance, Foss mentioned, due to the proposed restrictions of photo voltaic panels on productive farmland that makes up most of unincorporated Scott County.

Below Scott County’s proposed ordinance, giant utility-scale photo voltaic initiatives couldn’t be positioned on productive farm floor, which the county would outline as a corn suitability score (CSR2) over 60. CSR2 is a method developed by Iowa State College to measure potential soil productiveness, and it’s primarily based on soil profile, slope of the land, and climate situations. The upper the score, the extra productive, with 100 being the very best.

About 34,704 acres would have a poor sufficient score in Scott County to permit a photo voltaic farm, about 16.7% of the county’s jurisdiction based on a county workers evaluation.

The typical Scott County score is 72.4, based on an Iowa State College evaluation.

“As written, it’ll stop most if not all large-scale renewable power improvement within the county,” Foss mentioned. 

Alliant Vitality is pursuing different photo voltaic initiatives in Iowa, too, together with a photo voltaic farm and storage on the website of a retired nuclear plant in Linn County. 

Foss mentioned Alliant representatives have agreements with sufficient landowners to finish a 500-1,000-acre photo voltaic undertaking in western Scott County that he mentioned must halt beneath the ordinance. That will additionally embody 50 watts of power storage. 

“The issue is, after we seemed on the maps of land that’s rated as such is few and much between,” Foss mentioned when requested if Alliant may transfer or scale down the undertaking. Foss added that land that does meet that score is hilly, on bluffs, too near waterways, or removed from present power infrastructure.

A number of Scott County residents and advocates from throughout Iowa on Thursday informed supervisors in a public listening to to alter the ordinance to take out the suitability score threshold and 1,000-foot residential setback requirement.

The supervisors will hear the ordinance two extra occasions, and forged their last vote Sept. 15.

Nick Boeyink, the chief director for the Iowa Conservative Vitality Discussion board, urged to supervisors Thursday to regulate the 1,000-foot setback to 300 ft and eradicate the CSR2 score.

“I believe that arbitrary threshold is selecting a winner and a loser within the county,” Boeyink mentioned. “A 40-acre, 80-acre land proprietor with a 1,000-foot setback would by no means have the chance to make the selection. The federal government would’ve made it for him…This can be a money crop for farmers and the flexibility to be power safe for Iowa.”

Proper now, Scott County has no county ordinances pertaining to photo voltaic, which implies in the mean time, no utility-scale photo voltaic initiatives are allowed within the county, mentioned Scott County Planning and Improvement Director Chris Mathias.

Scott County would be part of not less than 15 different counties in Iowa which have large-scale photo voltaic ordinances on the books, based on a evaluation by Mathias. Extra are contemplating new photo voltaic guidelines.

However Scott County can be the one one to limit primarily based on the productiveness score of the land, Mathias mentioned.

Starting within the Eighties, Scott County added strict pointers for preserving agricultural land in its complete plan, a county street map for future coverage, Mathias mentioned.

“I’ve struggled right here for a yr, actually, looking for a manner the place utility scale photo voltaic may come to Scott County, but additionally work with the excellent plan that we have had in place for 42 years now, which actually preserves ag land, restricts improvement, and pushes improvement in direction of the integrated cities,” Mathias mentioned.

Republican Supervisor John Maxwell on Tuesday mentioned he supported photo voltaic power, however urged power firms to take a look at city settings, reminiscent of roof tops or unused parking tons. 

Democratic Supervisor Ken Croken mentioned Thursday he could not help the ordinance whereas the suitability score and 1,000-foot setback steerage remained.

A movement to desk the measure one cycle to offer extra time for public remark failed.

Below the measure, power firms trying to construct a “utility-scale” photo voltaic power website should apply for a particular zoning district, which comes with extra necessities.

The ordinance makes exceptions for consumer-scale photo voltaic power era – like if farmers wished to place photo voltaic panels on land to energy their farm or a landowner wished photo voltaic to energy their houses.

Along with banning photo voltaic initiatives on “prime” agricultural land, the brand new zoning designation additionally prevents new photo voltaic initiatives in a 100 or 500-year flood plain, and should be not less than 1,000 ft away from residential areas. The initiatives additionally should set up fencing, alongside the perimeter, and reduce glare or reflection onto close by properties and roadways.

Candidates would even have to supply a plan to indicate the undertaking would “not negatively have an effect on the operation of present agricultural drainage tiles on adjoining properties” in addition to put collectively an erosion management plan.

The ordinance additionally requires the initiatives to have a mixture of native grasses and wildflowers planted beneath the panels to stop erosion, handle runoff, and construct soil. The ordinance provides that small-scale farming or grazing could also be allowed within the undertaking space as a part of the situations of approval.

An software should additionally embody a decommissioning plan that features the anticipated lifetime of the photo voltaic set up and the way it’ll be decommissioned, together with recycling plans, website restoration, and the prices and funding sources.

The proposed ordinance additionally provides this part to the county’s complete plan: “As with all non-farm improvement, Scott County intends for almost all of renewable power manufacturing to happen throughout the boundaries of present cities and never on productive agricultural soils and different agricultural areas when in battle with environment friendly farming practices.”