TREYNOR, Iowa (AP) — A plan by MidAmerican Energy to build a large wind farm in southwestern Iowa is drawing opposition from some community residents.
MidAmerican is seeking to build a 400-megawatt capacity wind farm capable of providing power to about 144,000 Iowa homes, Iowa Public Radio reported.
The project, dubbed the Silver Creek Wind Farm, would see between 90 to 140 wind turbines erected in northern Mills and southern Pottawattamie counties and is hoped to be operational by 2024.
But opponents in the township of Silver Creek and nearby Treynor are speaking out against the project. More than 850 people have joined a Facebook group titled “Say NO to the Silver Creek Wind Farm.”
Corey Vorthmann, a farmer in Treynor, is among those who oppose the project, saying he’s worried about noise and light produced by the turbines.
“It’s something that is really unthinkable for us to see,” Vorthmann said. “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.”
Another opponent, Charity Duey of Silver City, worries about how the project will affect migratory birds and said the community doesn’t have enough information on the potential impact.
MidAmerican spokesperson Geoff Greenwood countered that the wind farm is estimated to generate up to $187 million in property taxes for the two counties and create 300 jobs.
The project is a part of MidAmerican’s larger initiative to reach zero net emissions of greenhouse gasses.