Residents warn of drainage, oversight gaps as MidAmerican Energy solar project advances

A pair of public commenters urged the Page County Board of Supervisors on July 23 to press for stronger local protections and technical studies before a proposed MidAmerican Energy solar project advances.

"The power of the county is vested in its board of supervisors pursuant to Iowa Code §331.301," said Cindy Van Fossen, who told the board that a petition to intervene in the Iowa Utilities Commission docket had been filed on the board's behalf. She said the board should focus on protecting county residents rather than "further[ing] any economic interests of a large outside organization or corporation." Van Fossen also thanked the board for hiring outside counsel to guide the county's participation in the IUC proceedings.

Jean Wagner, who identified herself as a Clarinda resident, urged supervisors to consider drainage law and hydrologic impacts if the project proceeds, citing state code and asking that drainage-district trustees be asked to order a formal watershed engineering study to quantify runoff during major storm events. "The Iowa utilities commission, IUC, has the legal authority to override a local county ordinance and approve a utility scale solar project," Wagner said, noting that an IUC certificate could allow construction despite local restrictions.

The board confirmed that the IUC has scheduled a hearing on the matter for Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at Williby Hall in Clorinda and that county counsel will attend the proceeding. Supervisors said the county attorney and outside counsel are guiding ordinance review and the IUC representation; the county will provide updates as the docket proceeds.

Why it matters: Commenters raised two distinct risks — construction damage to subsurface agricultural tile and larger post-construction runoff — and asked the board to require stronger, enforceable protections or an independent hydrological analysis. Because the IUC holds statewide siting authority for major generation facilities, residents said local protections are still necessary to ensure timely repairs and local oversight if the commission overrides local zoning.

The board did not take additional formal action on the solar petition during this meeting beyond confirming counsel participation and publicizing the scheduled IUC hearing.