[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6151676,"mediaKeyId","5501483-246cdfd0203f9d4a7ca6b60958aba746","parentId",5501483,"title","Des Moines County supervisors press draft wind/solar ordinance on decommissioning, soil restoration and emergency response","audioSeconds",6328,"startMs",3283000,"endMs",9611000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5501483-246cdfd0203f9d4a7ca6b60958aba746&start=3283&end=9611","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5501483-246cdfd0203f9d4a7ca6b60958aba746/thumbnail_3283000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6151676/Des-Moines-County/Iowa/Des-Moines-County-supervisors-press-draft-windsolar-ordinance-on-decommissioning-soil-restoration-and-emergency-response","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6151676-332fbd8f391d24a84b7b0cdff9d540e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771043467&Signature=k1AUREIOcisY8sYPQftzZxwGfLlwPs~UXZhuYjzvu3cwkLdwyWMsiNQ1dW4uJih~t7~qdJDssAPbu9Pf-zYJN0IOdMhE3-0aDXYoVd2jGPZ3zn~ENJkP-mSQ5dRRmAnA50SpCdiMEgJtgoXQQzq-JesHLX2nxyiSX8Ki38n341DNdV-ZRznxVZF2mWhMewJsZu9uLwpEoWAITtl0SjTaTNv3E1hXqA6S0zeuDks2MjW4gRVSYDSaDMGHN3heE95Dp5tiE5of4Zb1eyEKKNLT--0UYEk-3fJUhypGxMRBSdCJyq1eBWzoSI14ww2LVY4hH5FRYvlRjSfe2hwYNcrehA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Des Moines County, IA","date","2025-07-30T03:58:59.21Z","article","Des Moines County supervisors and staff spent most of a July 8 work session poring over a draft ordinance that would regulate siting, construction, operation and decommissioning of commercial wind, solar and battery projects in the county.

The meeting centered on decommissioning language: how much underground structure must be removed, how to verify that farmland is restored to its prior productivity, what financial guarantees and insurance the developer must carry, and how quickly damaged or hazardous turbines must be brought down and removed.

Why it matters: The county is writing rules that would apply across multiple proposed projects and persist through the projects’ operating life and end of life. Supervisors said the ordinance must both protect county roads, farmland and neighbors and be defensible if challenged in court.

Board and staff described the draft as a hybrid of the county’s existing language and provisions pulled from a Lee County ordinance. New sections added by staff include wildlife monitoring and mitigation, emergency response, an expanded decommissioning/abandonment chapter and enforcement during the project lifespan.

Removal standard and waivers
County staff and supervisors debated how much concrete and underground infrastructure developers must remove during decommissioning. Some supervisors argued the ordinance should require removal “to bedrock” or to “remove it all” as a presumptive standard, with a formal waiver process allowing the owner or landowner to request a lesser removal where deeper removal would cause undue harm. Others noted that in many places bedrock is far beneath the surface and forcing full removal could do more surface damage than leaving deep pilings in place.

Recording of waivers on title
Several supervisors said any waiver that leaves material in place should be recorded on the property title so future purchasers know an underground structure remains. Staff suggested the waiver could be recorded as an encumbrance or similar instrument tied to the parcel.

Soil restoration: use CSR as a baseline
County staff proposed using the county’s Corn Suitability Rating (CSR) as a measurable baseline to document and verify soil restoration after decommissioning. Supervisors asked that project permit applications include the CSR at each proposed turbine coordinate so the county can compare pre‑development and post‑decommissioning conditions rather than rely on an undefined “return to prior condition” standard.

Timelines, roads and discretion
The draft includes a 365‑day standard for completing decommissioning after work begins. County engineers urged flexibility: heavy hauling is seasonal, and soft spring or fall conditions can make roads impassable. The county engineer asked the board to give the engineer discretion to pause construction or decommissioning activity if needed to protect roads and public services; other supervisors said the board should retain final approval over pauses to strengthen the county’s legal position.

Damaged turbines, hazardous equipment and timelines
Staff proposed separate, shorter timelines for turbines damaged by storms or other emergencies. Several supervisors pushed for an expedited schedule for hazardous or visibly damaged units — one proposal discussed was a 30‑day target to take a damaged tower to the ground and remove it, with a short notice period to start work. The draft currently contains a 90‑day “commence removal” threshold and a 365‑day full‑restoration deadline; supervisors asked staff to tighten those time frames for imminent risks and to consider enforceable penalties. County staff noted Iowa law caps certain local penalties and that the draft presently includes a civil penalty cap of $1,000 per day for ordinance violations.

Enforcement, forfeiture and abandonment
Staff proposed language that would treat three ordinance violations within five years as grounds to declare the facility abandoned and require decommissioning; supervisors discussed whether a single serious violation (for example a prolonged hazardous condition) should also trigger mandatory decommissioning. Legal staff noted that the county’s most effective enforcement tool is the permit and financial surety tied to it.

Financial security and insurance
The draft calls for a developer‑provided financial guarantee to cover decommissioning costs. Supervisors and staff discussed acceptable forms of security (surety bond favored by staff for its independent underwriting, escrow or letter of credit considered less preferred) and a security sized to cover the decommissioning cost estimate plus a contingency. Staff recalled prior drafts using multiples of the estimate; supervisors asked for a specific percentage (discussion favored 125–150 percent rather than an outsized multiple). The board also directed staff to draft explicit insurance requirements: liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage, certificate of insurance delivered to the county, and a contractual obligation that the developer notify the county if coverage lapses. Staff will research typical liability amounts from comparable projects and recent local cases; meeting comments referenced an instance in Mechanicsville where a landowner rejected a developer offer of $230,000.

Road‑use agreement and construction phase protections
Supervisors asked that road‑use and hauling conditions mirror decommissioning protections: the county should be able to pause work during unacceptable road conditions and require contractors to stabilize surfaces at their cost. Staff said those protections are typically set in a road‑use agreement attached to the permit, and the ordinance should cross‑reference that agreement and make clear the county can require corrective work at developer expense.

Emergency response and invited agencies
Board members asked that the next workshop include regional emergency responders — fire chiefs, emergency management and public health — to review emergency response language, hazardous‑material procedures and mitigation for damaged structures. Staff will invite those responders to the next session.

Public comments and wildlife concerns
A resident who identified migration counts and provided a folder of daily bird‑migration data told supervisors that large numbers of birds pass through Des Moines County at altitudes the proposed turbines would occupy and urged more stringent wildlife mitigation. The speaker also discussed a recent federal executive action limiting which wind and solar projects qualify for federal tax credits; the speaker provided a printed copy to supervisors. The resident said in part, “I’m giving you all of it… it gives you every day at their altitude and how many came through,” and asked the county to plan mitigation with migration timing in mind.

Next steps
Supervisors asked staff to revise the decommissioning chapter, clarify timelines for hazardous removal, define the waiver and recording process, identify a specific contingency percentage for financial security, and draft precise insurance and road‑use language. The board scheduled further workshops to continue the ordinance review and asked staff to invite emergency response and conservation officials to the next meeting.

Ending: The work session continued without formal votes on the ordinance text; staff will return a revised draft with the changes discussed and recommended language for the board’s next workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Des Moines County Board Meeting 07/08/25","oneSentenceSummary","Des Moines County supervisors and staff spent a July 8 work session advancing a draft ordinance that would regulate siting, operation and decommissioning of commercial wind, solar and battery projects, with particular debate over how much underground infrastructure must be removed, how to verify soil restoration, what financial assurances are required, and how quickly damaged turbines must be removed.","taxTitle","Des Moines County, Iowa","taxId",68487,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6151671,"Des Moines County supervisors approve FY2026 appropriations resolution, payroll reimbursements and routine personnel items",142,1013000,1155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5501483-246cdfd0203f9d4a7ca6b60958aba746&start=1013&end=1155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5501483-246cdfd0203f9d4a7ca6b60958aba746/thumbnail_1013000.jpg","/articles/6151671/Des-Moines-County/Iowa/Des-Moines-County-supervisors-approve-FY2026-appropriations-resolution-payroll-reimbursements-and-routine-personnel-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6151671-1768f01dd6947b7a29259d7ab35c362c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771043467&Signature=JtNLxahkLlxtFZDnt54iN2Zjb7kvrR~4hjOUth~lAzC7CF8bcR1Ow5MZJrpqgW0xaqoNTHXA6mA0f3Wqq4BZt2LSa8CiREb4KrGYb1swVuTunNjxs1QXlkRkN9UFrNwM2aqaHBvxkQQCB66PA3V5qQwIpHt1el859DQnuI0GV~lh7OUfIMfw9lQ5d8kQvP-8iSkQSRikav4ynenJ9zFpu1prrz8dXEq34rCfcLBZLBlMqJn9IpuI7MX9ulgaSktBla-dHLOTC899B~Ykcwia2-30bdn7UeHUVZPYU5wFpgoEzBI2QAJzonKDbOjMS56mtpD1NBzmSsURTQtctKCeSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved several routine administrative items during its July 8 meeting, including a resolution setting county appropriations for fiscal year 2026, payroll reimbursement claims, a short‑term lease and multiple personnel actions.

The board approved Resolution 2025‑037, which the county described as the authorization of appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and the resources itemized on the departmental schedule. County staff said the county’s total appropriation for FY2026 is $42,250,149. The resolution was moved, seconded and approved by the board.

The board approved a payroll reimbursement claim described in the meeting as $5,279.25 (noncashable taxes), and accepted departmental petty cash and fee reports (auditor, recorder, assessor, GIS, sheriff, conservation and public health were listed with small petty‑cash amounts). Board members also approved a month‑to‑month lease for the Tri State Stabilization Center (an existing ASO arrangement) after staff explained the shorter term reflected the program’s uncertain near‑term funding. The lease motion passed.

Several personnel and payroll items were approved by the board in a single consent sequence: part‑time and full‑time correctional officer anniversary step increases (Lori Ravengraf; Dominic Foster), rehire and step adjustments for sheriff department staff, leaves of absence for county attorney office staff (Brandon Weddell) and an anniversary increase for Kaye Hagan in the county attorney’s office. The board also approved unpaid payroll time for a payroll deputy in the auditor’s office (Blaney Blutenegger) and accepted fee reports and minutes (the board approved minutes of the regular meeting on July 1, 2025).

Votes at a glance
- Payroll reimbursement claim ($5,279.25) — Motion to approve: outcome approved; vote recorded as unanimous by supervisors present.
- Resolution 2025‑037, FY2026 appropriations (total $42,250,149) — Motion to approve: outcome approved; roll call recorded affirmative by supervisors present.
- Tri State Stabilization Center month‑to‑month lease — Motion to approve: outcome approved; unanimous.
- Personnel actions (multiple hires, anniversary increases and leaves) — Motion to approve: outcome approved; unanimous.
- Minutes and routine reports — Motion to approve: outcome approved; unanimous.

No contested votes were recorded in the transcript. The meeting moved from routine business into a lengthy work session on a proposed wind/solar/battery ordinance (see separate coverage on decommissioning and emergency response discussions).","During the July 8 meeting the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to set FY2026 appropriations, approved payroll reimbursement claims and a set of personnel actions; the board also authorized a month‑to‑month lease for a stabilization center and accepted routine reports and minutes.","actionData","errors"]

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Des Moines County supervisors press draft wind/solar ordinance on decommissioning, soil restoration and emergency response

Des Moines County supervisors approve FY2026 appropriations resolution, payroll reimbursements and routine personnel items