Lots of sunshine. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..
Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Updated: July 8, 2026 @ 10:07 am
Lots of sunshine. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..
Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Updated: July 8, 2026 @ 10:07 am
Aerial shot top view of solar panel photovoltaic farm
The map of the proposed “Nodaway Valley Solar Project” was on display at a public meeting at the Clarinda Country Club Tuesday afternoon. Plans call for the solar farm on roughly 400 acres just northeast of Clarinda.
Aerial shot top view of solar panel photovoltaic farm
The map of the proposed “Nodaway Valley Solar Project” was on display at a public meeting at the Clarinda Country Club Tuesday afternoon. Plans call for the solar farm on roughly 400 acres just northeast of Clarinda.
(Clarinda) — Discussions over solar ordinances and a proposed project northeast of Clarinda continue in Page County.
At its regular meeting late Tuesday afternoon, the Page County Board of Supervisors discussed its current solar ordinances and MidAmerican Energy’s proposed “Nodaway Valley Solar Project,” a roughly 50-megawatt solar development planned on nearly 400 acres near Clarinda. The discussions also follow MidAmerican’s filing of a generating certificate application with the Iowa Utilities Commission for the project. Recently, the board also discussed a copy of the county’s solar ordinance that was passed in December 2024 that had been “marked up” with suggested changes from MidAmerican. Supervisor Todd Maher says that while there are some minor language changes he would be okay with addressing, he feels the majority of the ordinance should remain the same.
“I just think that we need to stick to our principles and what we had,” said Maher. “I think if MidAmerican wants to go around it and go through other ways of doing it and bypass county rule and have that tagged on their corporation, then I guess that’s what they’ll have to do.”
The board spent nearly a year developing the ordinance, primarily drawing on other county ordinances already in place, such as those in Mills County. At least one of the concerns listed by MidAmerican was the ordinance’s setback from non-participant property lines for utility-scale solar projects, which is set at 2,640 feet and can be waived by an affected landowner providing a written waiver agreement.
Supervisors Chair Judy Clark says that she was under the impression that the board would look into possible changes to the ordinance after MidAmerican officials spoke with more of the neighboring landowners near the project.
“That was my understanding with the supervisors that once that (MidAmerican’s John Huff) visited with those people and there weren’t objections that we would go back and look at a little bit and maybe ease it up a little bit like the setbacks and stuff,” said Clark. “But that hasn’t happened and John did visit with the landowners, so he held up his end of the bargain.”
However, Clark emphasized she doesn’t like that MidAmerican is attempting to “go around” the county’s ordinances with the IUC. Maher notes that the county should ensure it has representation in the IUC hearing process for the application and stand up for its local ordinances.
“So that they at least understand that, ‘hey, this big conglomerate is going to make a workaround and kind of a bypass any county government rule,’ and basically say ‘we don’t care what your citizens or your board says, we’re going to put this project in,'” said Maher. “I think we need to at least show some resistance to that and not just back down.”
According to online IUC documents for MidAmerican’s application in Page County, the company had asked for waivers for much of the procedural and hearing process, but consideration of those waivers was deferred until after the “intervention” deadline, which is set for July 23. A hearing on the IUC application is also set for October 20, 2026. While agreeing she would prefer the county be the decision maker on what’s built in the county, Clark says some of the stricter regulations can also penalize landowners wanting to allow solar on their land.
“People who own the land have invested their time and effort and money in this for the last six years and would like it to proceed,” said Clark. “Then we’ve had everybody coming who doesn’t have a stake in it, I mean, they do as a county, but not in that particular land, who are saying, ‘oh, you’re taking it out of production.’ Well, that’s nobody’s business but the landowner’s.”
The board ultimately reached a consensus not to alter the ordinance and instead to look into getting involved in the IUC process. Maher notes that if the IUC allows the project, more conversations should be had with state lawmakers on ways to preserve local control. The IUC is a three-person regulatory body, with members appointed by the governor. Based on the agency’s website, the IUC regulates the rates and services of investor-owned electric, natural gas, water, sanitary sewage, and stormwater drainage public utilities, and has specific regulatory authority over municipal electric and natural gas utilities and electric cooperatives. The IUC also has authority over the siting and construction of electric transmission lines, intrastate natural gas pipelines, and hazardous liquid pipelines.
At KMA, we attempt to be accurate in our reporting. If you see a typo or mistake in a story, please contact us by emailing kmaradio@kmaland.com.
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