Allen County commissioners want more information before they consider a request from an Iowa group to propose solar regulations.
Terry Call, the county’s zoning director, told commissioners about a proposal from the Center for Infrastructure and Economic Development. The Iowa-based group works with communities to develop renewable energy policies.
A representative from the group’s Kansas offices wants to create an ordinance for solar energy zoning policies for the county at no cost. The group also offered to create one for wind energy.
The county would be under no obligation to accept any part of the ordinance and could use it simply as a guide for their own efforts.
The county is not currently considering a proposal for a solar farm, Call said. However, the City of Iola has voted down at least two such proposals. Chanute, though, approved a 6 megawatt solar farm for its energy portfolio in April.
Allen County has approved smaller, private solar installations for individual property owners, Call said.
Commissioners wanted more information about the group making the offer.
According to the group’s website, it is a non-governmental agency led by prominent national political figures. The three national co-chairs are Terry Branstad, former Republican Iowa governor and the longest serving governor in U.S. history, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to China under President Donald Trump; Mike Johanns, former Republican Nebraska governor, senator and secretary of agriculture under President George W. Bush; and Heidi Heitkamp, a former Democratic senator from North Dakota.
Call also noted he has received a request from a group interested in setting up a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near the Prairie Queen Wind Farm. The company wanted to store lithium-ion batteries near the wind farm.
BESS is a growing industry as companies and communities invest in renewable energy and look for better solutions for energy storage.
Call said he would need to do more research on that matter as well and said he was concerned about safety precautions in the event of a leak.
Landfill update
At least part of a new portable fence has been installed at the landfill.
The county bought 10 portable fence panels for $82,700. The panels are 15-feet high and 24-feet wide and intended to catch litter that blows over the top of the landfill onto area properties. The panels can be moved as needed, with a wind sock attached to the top of one of the panels to determine best placement, Public Works Director Mitch Garner said.
He also told commissioners that just about every piece of equipment at the landfill broke down last week and has either been or is being repaired. That includes a bulldozer slated to be replaced this summer; crews will repair the machine so it can still be used as a trade-in.
MEANWHILE, crews at the road and bridge department started using new tractors being leased from the local John Deere dealership.
