Iowa bill seeks to end constantly blinking red lights on wind turbines

A House subcommittee advanced a bill Monday that would require all wind turbines in the state be equipped with aircraft detection lighting systems, to address landowner complaints about blinking red lights.

House File 2081 as introduced would require new wind farms be constructed with the sensor-based lights and existing turbines to be retrofitted with the lights by the start of 2028. Lawmakers in the subcommittee, however, said they plan to amend the bill to extend the timeline to change out existing lights.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Dean Fisher, R-Montour, who said landowners in his district have been upset about the lights on a recent wind energy conversion facility built in Tama County.

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“Constituents who used to have just a nice sunset view out their window now are looking at a row of flashing red lights all night long,” Fisher said. “Very annoying, very disturbing.”

Fisher specified that the bill helps people “miles away” from a wind turbine farm who don’t reap any of the economic benefits of having a turbine on their property.

The bill calls for the implementation of aircraft detection lighting systems, sometimes abbreviated as ADLS, which the Federal Aviation Administration describes as obstruction lights that turn on when a primary radar detects approaching aircraft. The lights remain on until the aircraft has passed the area and will also turn on if there is a failure with the sensor.

Chaz Allen, a lobbyist representing the Iowa Utility Association — of which MidAmerican Energy Company and Alliant Energy Corporation are part — said utilities are “already in the process” putting these lights in place.

According to Allen, about 27% of wind turbines in Iowa have the aircraft detecting sensors in place. Allen was registered undecided on the bill, but said the deadlines might not be feasible because the utilities have to get approval from FAA and the Federal Communications Commission, which can slow down retrofitting.

Allen said the utilities are upgrading some of the lights every year, versus all at once for the sake of cost.

Dustin Miller, speaking on behalf of the American Clean Power Association and Clean Grid Alliance, also registered as undecided, said most developments moving forward plan to implement the sensor lights, but he said the cost of retrofitting existing turbines would be “directly borne by customers.”

No groups registered opposed to the bill. The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Iowa Environmental Council both registered in favor of the bill.

Kerri Johannsen with Iowa Environmental Council also expressed concern for the cost of retrofitting existing turbines, but said the bill was a good way to help make it “as pleasant for folks as possible to have (wind energy generation) as part of our generation mix in the state.”

Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, did not support the measure because he worried about implementing a mandate that would increase utility costs for Iowans.

Rep. Tom Determann, R-Clinton, and Rep. David Blom, R-Marshalltown, voted to advance the bill, with the intention of amending the implementation timeline required by the bill.

This story was originally published by the Iowa Capital Dispatch.