The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors has approved a three-month moratorium on new wind energy applications, well short of the two-year pause requested by opponents. Supervisors said the temporary halt will help ease tensions and focus efforts on revising the county’s ordinance.
Officials plan to use Lee County’s recently updated rules as a base, with local adjustments reflecting stricter existing standards and public feedback. Topics like emergency response and wildlife monitoring are among those set for expansion, and a combined ordinance for wind, solar, and battery storage projects is being drafted.
The next ordinance work session will follow the board’s regular meeting on July 1. All meetings are open to the public and livestreamed at desmoinescounty.iowa.gov/live.
