Clinton County farmers rights |

TELL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS:

67% of Iowa voters agree farmers should not be told by the government what to do with their land - they have the right to use their land how they choose, including to develop solar energy projects.

Many farmers who lease a portion of their land to solar companies are provided with financial security which allows them to continue to farm the rest of their land and keep it in their families.

The Clinton County Board of Supervisors Meets May 26th. Let them hear from you!

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68% of Iowa Voters Support New Solar Energy Projects

Why Farmers Might Decide to Lease Land to Solar Farms

Reliable source of income for decades

Income secure from bad weather or drought

Diversify their income

Today Iowa’s farmers decide to grow crops for a variety of purposes, including corn for ethanol and soybeans for soybean oil, to replace machine grease. Solar farming is another option.

No farmland lost

Solar companies must return the land to its original state at the end of the project. Farmland owners can return their land to crop farming after decommissioning if they choose.

Iowans Support Solar

Solar farms provide clean, affordable energy, bring millions in private economic investment to the area and help attract new business

Solar projects are a benefit, not an impediment, for the agriculture industry. Unlike other projects that require our farmland to be paved over, these projects are temporary. Solar projects preserve the land for the next generation farmer and land can be fully restored to higher quality farmland for the next generation thanks to years of rest and regeneration. Urban sprawl, on the contrary, removes ag land from production permanently.

Bryan SieversStockton, from letter to Clinton Herald

Whose choice should it be to harvest corn, soybeans, or the sun? Both tradition and present-day Iowans alike say, “the farmer!”

Swati DandekarChairman of Bright Future Iowa

The Proposed Hawkeye Solar Farm

The solar farm would be developed on land voluntarily and temporarily leased by the owner.

The solar farm would have a footprint of .37% of total farmland in Clinton County and less than .0004% of all Iowa farmland.

Energy from the Hawkeye Solar Farm would go to Ranger Power and power 50,000 Iowa homes.

The solar company is responsible for decommissioning and returning the land to the same or better condition when the solar project is complete.

The Hawkeye Solar Project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking nearly 100,000 cars off the road.

Hawkeye Solar is expected to contribute over $12 million in new tax revenue to Clinton County over the life of the project to help fund local schools, public safety services, and other services and infrastructure. The project is a private investment and comes at no cost to Clinton County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Percentage of farmland used

The Hawkeye Solar Project would use .37% of Clinton County farmland. That farmland is voluntarily leased to the projects by farmers, who are best suited to decide what is best for their land and families.

Solar panels are solid

Solar panels are solid and sealed and cannot be penetrated by rainwater. In the same way the screens on the smartphones we carry with us all the time do not leak, solar panels do not leach.

Removal of solar panels

At the end of the project the developer must remove all the panels and equipment and return the land to its original state.

Solar panels are safe for the enviroment

As the Sierra Club states: Solar power “has no carbon emissions and NO other harmful toxic emissions, including mercury, lead and cadmium.”

Soil preservation

Proper soil management during the project contributes to agricultural sustainability. Farmers can resume planting crops after decommissioning if they choose.

Solar energy generated will power local homes

Power from Hawkeye Solar will help power homes and businesses in Eastern Iowa.

Corn or Solar – Let the farmer decide what’s best for their land.

Voluntary placement of solar panels is another way farmers can earn a living from their own land, if that’s what they want.