Tama County Supervisors to vote on $1.2 million wind turbine settlement

TAMA COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) — Construction is already underway in Tama County on 60 new wind turbines, part of the Salt Creek Wind Project.

Now, Tama County is set to approve a project to add 27 more.

Supervisor David Turner told TV9 both are the result of legal settlements.

“It doesn’t make sense to spend money when you’re not going to prevail,” Turner said.

The County had passed a moratorium to stop wind turbines earlier this year.

But the developers of the Salt Creek project sued — citing the work already underway.

Turner said the county was poised to lose that lawsuit.

Instead, the county reached a settlement, giving the county $1.2 million.

“So in some ways it’s going to help us keep our taxes low, because we won’t have to raise any levies,” Turner said.

Now, the county is set to approve another settlement with another payout to the county, clearing the way for another 27 turbines.

If that doesn’t pass, Turner said it could lead to a lawsuit.

“They’ll sue us,” Turner said.

But that hasn’t stopped Tama County residents from pushing back at a public comment session on Monday night.

“I don’t know how you can sit and call this an agreement. You’re not protecting the residents of Tama County,” Doug Dvorak, chairman of the Tama County Zoning Commission said.

Supervisors are poised to vote on that second agreement Monday.

Before that vote Monday, Tama County will host a second public input session Thursday night.

It starts at 6:00 p.m. at the State Bank of Toledo’s Community Room in Toledo at the corner of Broadway and High Streets.

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