Des Moines County supervisors are facing growing public pressure to impose a two-year moratorium on commercial wind energy projects, but legal concerns are stalling action. At Tuesday’s meeting, a resident asked why the board hasn’t responded to the community’s request to pause new permits while revisiting the county’s ordinance.
Vice Chair Shane McCampbell warned such a move could trigger lawsuits from landowners with existing lease agreements. County Attorney Lisa Schaefer agreed, comparing it to retroactively applying penalties. Supervisor Tom Broeker added that a wind permit application from Big River Wind is not expected until 2026, with construction unlikely before 2028.
A May 6 work session is scheduled to review the ordinance further. The board also approved a $188,000, three-year land use administration contract with SEIRPC, partly to address increased work related to wind turbine and airport regulations.
