Some Residents Speak Out Against New Wind Farm In Iowa

Back in January, MidAmerican Energy announced its plans to build a wind turbine farm of around 120 turbines in Mills and Pottawattamie counties. This proposal comes as part of their effort to achieve a 100 percent renewable energy supply.

Some residents along the path of the farm have voiced their concerns about how this type of project will affect their community. Corey Vorthmann, a farmer in Treynor told Radio Iowa the sound and lights from the turbines would be disruptive to residents.

It's something that is really unthinkable for us to see that we would wake up every morning and not really be able to take in the beauty of mother nature, but have it polluted with 300-foot wind turbines.

A common trend that comes into play when discussions of turbines come up is the impact it will have on people’s view of the land.

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Charity Duey moved to Silver City because of the views. She also worries about the impact the wind turbines will have on everything from the quality of life to wildlife.

Just looking at it as a whole and going is this a fit for our community? That’s where people are going ‘I don't think this is going to work for us.

The company is currently gauging people’s interests. MidAmerican said the wind farms would be a voluntary project- they would NOT by taking land for it. If the project does move forward, they are hoping to complete it by 2024.

In a report by KETV, residents have said they do support other renewable energy efforts.

OPINION - This Cedar Valley Eyesore Needs To Be Demolished

In its heyday, the Rath Packing Company employed 8,500 people. It's still thought of fondly by many as what helped put Waterloo "on the map" and giving many area families a good income to raise their families. When rumors of bankruptcy started in 1979, the company became employee-owned in 1980. Despite many attempts to save it and massive amounts of money invested (from employees and loans from the city of Waterloo) all of those efforts ultimately failed, leading to its demise and liquidation in 1985.

Gallery Credit: Shawn McKenna