Deuel County Planning Commission recommends one-year moratorium on public power plant facilities

Vice Chairman Kevin DeBoer presided as the Deuel County Planning Commission met March 3 in the Deuel County Courthouse and voted unanimously to recommend that the Deuel County Board of Commissioners impose a one-year moratorium on new Public Power Plant Facilities while officials complete environmental and community impact studies and update county zoning rules.

Zoning Officer Jodi Theisen told the commission that the Planning Commission had previously approved a motion to establish a one-year moratorium but had not forwarded a recommendation to the County Board. Theisen said proper 10-day public notice was published and that the purpose of the meeting was to decide whether to formally recommend the moratorium. She also said Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) submitted a rezoning application and a Conditional Use Permit application on Feb. 19, 2026, for a public and private utilities facility; those applications were submitted before the proposed moratorium's effective date and, Theisen said, are not subject to the temporary suspension. A joint hearing with the Deuel County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for March 17, 2026.

Board member Dennis Kanengieter moved, and Mike Lammers seconded, to recommend a one-year countywide moratorium on Public Power Plant Facilities and to require that an environmental and community impact study be completed during the moratorium. The commission voted in favor unanimously.

Residents who spoke during public comment urged the county to pause approvals while ordinances are updated and independent studies are completed. Frank James supported the moratorium and criticized the Local Review Committee process for what he called poor public involvement. Sheila Monnier said she submitted signatures from residents and said people in the southern part of the county are confused by overlapping energy projects; she urged long-term planning to protect land, water and property values. Several residents, including Tony Quail and Michell Oftedahl, asked the commission to deny or delay MRES's project until social and environmental impacts — including noise and cumulative effects — are studied and addressed. Sam Froehlke provided technical commentary on noise measurement, noting that decibel readings depend on frequency, distance and other variables.

Terry Wolf, vice president and chief operating officer of Missouri River Energy Services, acknowledged community concerns and described MRES as a community-owned, not-for-profit utility. Wolf said MRES has conducted outreach and studies and characterized the proposed generating units as smaller, enclosed and engineered to reduce noise; he told the commission the studies are publicly available and that MRES will continue engagement regardless of the moratorium outcome.

The commission closed public comment by unanimous motion and adjourned. The commission's recommendation will be presented to the Deuel County Board of Commissioners at the joint hearing on March 17, 2026; Theisen said the moratorium — if adopted by the County Board and after required publication — would take effect following the publication period later in March.