Woodbury Board of Supervisors signs resolution regarding commercial energy

The resolution outlines what the county supports in regard to energy development in the county and the property rights of the residents.

It supports coal and natural gas, cost-effective energy, mindfulness for landowners, the safety of citizens, free-market capitalism, land stewardship, rejects eminent domain, rejects subsidized energy and more.

"This is not anti-green energy," Supervisor Mark Nelson said. "In the current offerings of commercial wind and commercial solar today, it does not mesh well with the agricultural land and the recreation land that we have here in Woodbury County."

Supervisor Jeremy Taylor said the county has heard from residents that they want to grow the county, but in a way that makes the county a better place to work, live and raise a family. The policy is about looking at how the energy is impacting the land, residents and quality of life, he said. 

There have also been multiple energy ideas proposed in the county that “seem shortsighted, trading short-term gain for the long-term pain that could degrade the land, safety and property rights, quality of life, and true economic growth,” Taylor said.

The board approved the resolution unanimously, which they had previously delayed a week to have a full board vote. Supervisors clarified the resolution does not ban anything and does not prevent any commercial energy development.

Taylor said the resolution is a guide and messaging the tone for how the county wants to grow.

“This is about environmental stewardship done the right way,” Taylor said. “It is also a response to our citizens.”

He added the resolution will be used to guide policy and inform the board of adjustment, planning and zoning and economic development. 

Supervisor Dan Bittinger said he supports energy projects and encourages people to bring clean energy projects to Woodbury County that don't use eminent domain or force extra taxes and regulations.

Some community members in attendance were supportive of the resolution, while others were concerned about the message and confused about the purpose of the resolution. They were against the resolution supporting coal, due to environmental concerns.

Trisha Rivers, the Siouxland Project Director with Great Plains Action Society, asked the supervisors if they had consulted any communities of color in drafting the resolution. Taylor said no. 

Rivers encouraged the board to reach out and listen to communities of color about the impact coal-burning power. 

"State and federal laws ensure local governments conduct themselves in a transparent and open manner. But it is an individual responsibility to educate and involve oneself," Chair Matthew Ung said in a letter to the editor in response to Rivers' request. "It is the height of irony to complain about not being involved as you are in the very same moment involved. Nothing is a more entitled, first-world problem than that."

Other concerns with the resolution included supporting coal while supporting land stewardship. Renee Weinberg said MidAmerican Energy has proposed discharging water from their coal ash ponds into the Missouri River. 

“MidAmerican's own internal studies identified Neal 3 (one of the coal-fired generators by Sioux City) as uneconomic, Woodbury County should be planning now to ensure that the plant is replaced with locally sited clean energy to maintain the tax base and local jobs,” said Bob Fritzmeier, NW Iowa Sierra Club Member.

Thomas Treharne, senior project manager with NextEra Energy, said the company has been working with property owners in Woodbury County for renewable energy projects.  He said the company was attracted to Woodbury County due to naturals resources and openness in county policies and ordinances. 

Treharne said the resolution is contrary to county ordinances and many statements in it were unfounded.

Daniel Hair of Hornick said he does not believe in "climate alarmism" and "green energy religion."

"There is a God and he created the earth and if you don't believe that you've got bigger problems," he said. "The earth will go on until God decides otherwise." 

He said green energy is environmental terrorism due to the mining in other countries for electric car batteries, solar panels and wind turbines.

The resolution states the county supports:

• Economical and dependable forms of energy that have helped historically build America such as coal and natural gas and urges technologies that improve environmental stewardship and are not dependent on weather which has proven to cause shortages when needed most;
• Recognizing the long-term sustainability of coal-fired electricity and the jobs necessary to support it at Port Neal;
• Cost-effective energy rather than those that purport to be cost-effective but instead heavily subsidized with reliance on federal and state government programs;
• Mindfulness for landowners and families who reside on the land over and above the interests of out-of-state companies and absentee landowners whose projects may negatively affect the quality of life and future economic prosperity;
• An absolute right for private property land rights with a rejection of the use of eminent domain to force landowners to place pipelines, turbines, solar panels, or any other energy commodity of their land against their will and consent;
• A commitment to land use that does not take productive ground out of agricultural production at a time when young farmers and true economic development needs a place to grow;
• Free-market capitalism and market-driven technologies that from a taxation standpoint do not rely on abatements, incentives, credits, and other advantages over and above other industries;
• The safety of citizens and families not subjecting residents to harm;
• Technologies that truly steward the environment but not from supposed “green energy” that comes from China, is not biodegradable, is not founded on research/science, and does not meet a “common sense” threshold and;
• Energy industries that steward agricultural land and do not degrade the soil in such ways as erosion, compaction, water quality, and wildlife ecosystems and preserve our most valuable natural resource-the land of Woodbury County- for future generations.

The resolution will be sent to The Governor's Office, area legislators, Mid-American, Nexant, Summit, Navigator, Iowa State Association of Counties, the board of adjustment and planning & aoning, the Farm Bureau, SIMPCO, local cities within Woodbury County, and the Siouxland Chamber/Initiative, according to the board packet.