State Senate restricting siting of solar farms
Note: this bill failed the first funnel and is no longer active.
Bill SSB1077 would severely restrict where commercially-owned solar farms can be placed. Under the bill, a commercially-owned solar farm shall not be installed upon agricultural land unless the panels are at least 150 feet from the nearest adjacent landowner and also unless the panels are at least 1,200 feet from the nearest residence or livestock facility (factory farm, CAFO).
SSB1077 came before a Senate Subcommittee and is now on its way to the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Write to the senators on the subcommittee and ask that they oppose the bill: kevin.alons@legis.iowa.gov , tony.bisignano@legis.iowa.gov , nate.boulton@legis.iowa.gov , mark.costello@legis.iowa.gov , bill.dotzler@legis.iowa.gov , dawn.driscoll@legis.iowa.gov , jeff.edler@legis.iowa.gov , eric.giddens@legis.iowa.gov , jesse.green@legis.iowa.gov , kerry.gruenhagen@legis.iowa.gov , charlie.mcclintock@legis.iowa.gov , ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov , tom.shipley@legis.iowa.gov , annette.sweeney@legis.iowa.gov , todd.taylor@legis.iowa.gov , dan.zumbach@legis.iowa.gov
Bill # SSB1077 is an unnecessary regulatory burden
- Solar energy will provide our future electricity generation. It is clean and renewable. Solar energy is cost effective. There is no cost for fuel – gas, coal, uranium.
- The bill removes local control from the counties. Most Iowa counties have zoning ordinances. The county supervisors can handle the siting of solar farms. They know what is best for their county.
- Solar panels sit rather low to the ground. They do not have disturbing emissions. They are not noisy.
- Solar panels do not threaten the animals living in confinements.
- These are onerous restrictions. They violate the spirit of the governor’s efforts to reduce regulatory burden.
- This bill clearly places an unnecessary burden on siting of solar panels.
Photo of solar farm by Mike Wilcox