Alliant Energy files rezoning application for proposed Morgan Valley Energy Center, as opposition continues to organize
Alliant Energy has filed a rezoning application with Linn County, Iowa, for its proposed Morgan Valley Energy Center, a natural gas power plant. This filing is a step in the regulatory process that will involve public input and review. Meanwhile, a grassroots opposition group continues to organize, citing environmental concerns and the plant's potential role in powering data centers.
Alliant Energy has submitted a rezoning application to Linn County, Iowa, for the proposed Morgan Valley Energy Center, a 720-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant planned near Cedar Rapids. The application seeks to rezone 160 acres from Agricultural to Exclusive Use-2, a necessary designation for such facilities under county development code. May Farlinger, president of Alliant Energy's Iowa energy company, stated that this is a step in a thorough review process, emphasizing the project's economic benefits, including estimated job creation and tax revenue.
The rezoning request is distinct from the plant's air permitting application, which Alliant expects to file with Linn County Public Health soon. Both applications will undergo extensive technical review and public comment periods, with decisions anticipated from entities like the Planning and Zoning Commission, Board of Supervisors, and Iowa Utilities Commission.
The filing comes amidst growing opposition spearheaded by Save Morgan Valley, a grassroots group advocating for rural communities and the environment. The group has collected over 1,000 petition signatures and filed numerous comments with the Iowa Utilities Commission, expressing concerns about air quality, water usage, property values, and transparency. Group member Abe Kellison and some Linn County supervisors suspect the plant's primary purpose is to supply power to a proposed data center corridor, a claim Alliant Energy refutes, stating the project aims to support broader energy security. Elected officials from Fairfax, Atkins, and Benton County have also intervened in the Iowa Utilities Commission review, despite Linn County's final authority.