Scott County leaders are again confronting a proposal for a natural gas power plant priced at up to $400 million, one that would place a major energy facility on prime Iowa farmland.
The dispute resurfaced after supervisors blocked the necessary zoning change in February. This week, the board weighed whether to challenge the project as it moves through the state review process.
What's happening?
At its Tuesday morning meeting, the Scott County Board of Supervisors considered whether to intervene in state proceedings involving the planned Hickory Grove Generating Station, reported the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal.
Central Iowa Power Cooperative wants to build the 240-megawatt facility on 90 acres of farmland in Hickory Grove Township near Maysville.
If regulators sign off, the company says the plant would serve customers in 58 Iowa counties and begin operating in late 2029.
In February, supervisors cast a 4-0 vote against changing county zoning rules to permit thermal electric energy generation as a special use on agricultural preservation ground. A fifth supervisor did not vote.
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After that local setback, CIPCO brought the matter to the Iowa Utilities Commission. More than 100 people attended the commission's public information meeting on the proposal in April.
Construction is expected to generate about 200 jobs, followed by five to seven permanent positions, and CIPCO has estimated the project's cost at $350 million to $400 million.
Why does it matter?
Gas, oil, and coal facilities can have lasting consequences for nearby residents.
Coal and natural gas power plants contribute to air and water pollution linked to asthma, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.
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They can also keep household energy costs high when utilities remain tied to fuel sources that require ongoing extraction and volatile fuel purchases instead of drawing from more abundant energy sources such as sunlight and wind.
Critics have also argued that industry lobbying can slow the transition to cleaner, less expensive energy solutions that would better protect families and lower bills over time.
What's being done?
Opposition has continued to grow locally, with much of the organizing led by the grassroots group Concerned Citizens of Scott County. In late May, the group hosted a workshop aimed at helping residents file comments opposing the project with the Iowa Utilities Commission.
CIPCO says the project is designed to help meet electricity demand during peak winter and summer periods and would rely on simple-cycle combustion turbine technology.
Concerned Citizens of Scott County summarized the stakes this way: "We believe prime agricultural land should not be used for this purpose. Surrounding Century Farms and thousands of local citizens will be impacted. Multiple environmental, safety and concerns, plus the potential for changes to property values and taxes will result."
On Tuesday, the board voted to intervene, according to 6 KWQC.
Board Chair John Maxwell said the next step is presenting the county's objections to state officials.
Molly Regan, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Scott County, added, per 6 KWQC, "The main reason we're against this is because, it's, the company wants to use prime agricultural farmland and it will be a polluting industry, very polluting. And Scott County already has very bad air."
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