Iowa County Votes 'No Thanks' to a Giant New Gas Power Plant

Imagine asking your town leaders for permission to build a noisy campfire in the middle of a soccer field. Chances are, they would say no! That is essentially what just happened in Linn County, Iowa, where local supervisors voted unanimously against letting an energy company re-zone land to build a brand new gas-powered electricity plant.

The project, called the Morgan Valley Energy Center, was proposed by an electric utility company. They wanted to build plants that burn natural gas to generate backup electricity when energy demand peaks, like on freezing winter nights or blistering summer afternoons.