The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Worth County in a lawsuit over the county’s wind farm moratorium and ordinance.
Worthwhile Wind began developing plans in 2018 to build 55 wind turbines in Worth County at an estimated cost of more than $300 million. Two new supervisors were elected to the three-member county board after public complaints about turbines already in the county.
The new board adopted a temporary moratorium on the construction of wind energy systems in 2021. In 2022, supervisors passed the county’s first ordinance regulating wind systems.
Worthwhile Wind sued the county, arguing the work it had done before the moratorium and ordinance should allow the project to move forward.
The Iowa Supreme Court says Worthwhile Wind never filed a permit application and that the project remained largely undefined when the moratorium and ordinance were approved.
