Letters to the Editor: Larson, Carter, Thorson, Scrimger

Common sense for wind turbine ordinances

By Scott Larson, Nora Springs

I am a Floyd County resident and landowner. Our home is located near Flood Creek, and we are blessed with a beautiful landscape and ecosystem all around us. I wake up every morning to magnificent sunrises and the birds singing and end each day with a gorgeous sunset.

But that could soon change if Floyd County residents don’t use their voices to bring common sense to industrial wind ordinances.

Currently, there are two wind energy companies proposing to build 50-200 wind turbines in western Floyd County. These wind “farms” will fill our landscape and horizons with 650-foot-tall towers; (the current Charles City towers are 413 feet tall).

Some landowners have already signed lease agreements, and that is their right to do so. But we feel their rights end at their property line. A project of this magnitude will affect everyone, especially those who live nearby. The lease terms are for 50-90 years! The decisions we make today will affect many future generations.

I am a member of the Floyd County Land group. We are actively trying to bring awareness to the issues surrounding responsible wind development and common sense to the setbacks being proposed. The setbacks (distance from a turbine to a specific point) we are proposing are meant to protect the health and safety of county residents and our natural resources.

If you are interested in signing the petition asking for stricter setbacks or want more information, email FloydCountyLand@gmail.com. Or visit “Floyd County Iowa Wind Turbine/CO2 Pipeline Informational Group” on Facebook.

Email your concerns to the Floyd County Board of Supervisors at floydbos@floydcoia.org by July 26.

Finally, and most importantly, attend the public hearing at the Floyd County Fairgrounds on Monday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m.

Let’s keep Floyd County safe and beautiful!

Summit pipeline was not granted a permit

By Kathy Carter, Rockford

On June 25, the Iowa Utilities Board announced its decision regarding the Summit CO2 pipeline project. It has been misreported in numerous media that the IUB “approved the permit” for Summit. They DID NOT. What they did was a “Final Decision and Order.” which did – sort of – approve the APPLICATION, but they did not give Summit a green light to proceed.

There are a number of conditions that Summit must meet first. Summit cannot proceed with any construction in Iowa UNTIL and IF it receives permits for routes in both South Dakota and North Dakota, and permit for a burial site in North Dakota.

With over 850 parcels in Iowa potentially subject to eminent domain, Summit is also tasked with attempting to “negotiate” with those landowners (so landowners, beware – Summit’s sales people will be pushing you hard.)

For now, at least eight entities are filing a “Motion for Reconsideration,” then the IUB (now IUC) has 30 days to respond. It is unlikely they will change anything in their “Decision and Order,” so this will move into the Iowa court system for appeal and action.

So the media reports need to be corrected: the IUB did NOT grant a permit to Summit Carbon Solutions. The war continues.

Editor’s note: The Press has correctly reported the specifics of the Iowa Utilities Board decision since it was announced.

Stop the United States’ abortion genocide

By Judy Thorson, Charles City

The United States has been committing genocide for many years by allowing millions of babies to be aborted – little lives snuffed out before they were allowed to live their lives as God intended.

In God’s Word, the Bible, in Psalm 139, it says, I saw your unformed substance and in His book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me.

Abortion has become an way of birth control and brings shame to our country. Life is a gift from God and should be treated that way.

Shouldn’t four-wheelers need a license plate?

By Dave Scrimger, Charles City

With all the four-wheelers running around out there shouldn’t there be a license plate? What if you get hit? Also, what about insurance? I get the feeling that this is a subtle way to beat the government out of road use tax.