A Decade of Proof: Why Iowa’s Investment in Wind Energy Is Paying Off for Our Communities
June 23, 2026
Throughout the years I’ve been in public service in Iowa, from a local school board, to the legislature and to
Throughout the years I’ve been in public service in Iowa, from a local school board, to the legislature and to
In Iowa, property rights have always mattered. If you own land, you should be able to decide how to use it to support your family. Ample land, with the freedom to use it drew the first settlers here.
Iowans are practical people. We’ve developed common-sense rules for wind energy that include reasonable noise limits, fair setbacks, and safety standards. These reasonable rules integrate wind energy and the local investment that comes with it successfully into our communities.
Sweeping new noise regulations proposed for wind farms in Clinton County could have far-reaching implications for how farmers work their land. If proposed noise restrictions made by the Clinton County Board of Health are adopted by County Supervisors, essential activities such as planting, harvesting, and grain drying could technically be in violation, leaving farmers vulnerable to penalties or litigation.
NIMBYs aren’t just saying “not in my backyard”; they’re saying “not in YOUR backyard.” They’re dictating what their neighbors can and cannot do with their own property. That’s why this isn’t just an attack on clean energy—it’s an attack on your property rights.
Once in place, moratoriums tend to linger. A company deciding where to add a new manufacturing plant isn’t going to sit idle running out the clock on a moratorium. They’re going to go somewhere else.
I’ve attended several county government hearings on solar energy projects, and one thing stands out: opponents to wind and solar projects are asking the government to intervene to prevent something from happening on your land, not their land.
The evidence is in – Iowa counties with wind energy projects are stronger economically than counties without. Iowa began wind and solar development in the early 1990s, and today 62% of our electricity is generated from wind, solar and energy storage. That puts Iowa as the number one U.S. state in renewable energy electricity generation.
Farmers may choose to use a portion of their fields to grow energy for a variety of reasons. One of those is that solar leases provide 30 years of financial security, not dependent on weather, that allows them to keep farming the rest of their land and keep it in their families.
In a recent survey, 68 percent of Iowa’s voters said “yes” when asked if they would support solar energy. In Linn County alone 4,000 residents recently signed a petition in support of solar energy here.
The approval of two new solar farms, the Coggon Solar and Duane Arnold Solar, would provide clean, affordable, energy to Iowa families, bring millions in private, economic investment to the area and sound a clarion call to new businesses seeking places to locate with access to renewable energy.
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