Ohio Residents Face Higher Electricity Bills as Kansas, Iowa Tackle Wind, CO2 Pipelines
Residents of Ohio are facing substantial additional electricity charges, while Kansas implements new wind zoning regulations. Meanwhile, Iowa is considering multiple carbon dioxide pipelines, and the U.S. EPA enforces stricter coal ash waste management.
Ohio electricity customers have been burdened with around $211 million in extra charges to cover losses from two uneconomic coal plants. This comes as Kansas' Lyon County adopts new wind zoning rules, mandating 2,000-foot setbacks from homes and 3-mile setbacks from state-owned parkland.
In Iowa, three carbon dioxide pipelines are proposed to capture emissions from ethanol plants. U.S. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota backs stronger climate and clean energy initiatives. MidAmerican Energy is also exploring a utility-scale wind project in western Iowa. However, county officials express frustration over their responsibilities regarding pipeline construction, with some, like those in Iowa's second-most populous county, formally opposing the use of eminent domain for such projects.
The U.S. EPA has ordered utilities to halt dumping coal ash waste into unlined storage ponds and to expedite the closure of leaking sites. In Indiana, CenterPoint Energy plans to invest $900 million in two natural gas-powered peaker plants and a pipeline in the southern region.
These developments highlight the ongoing transition in energy policies and infrastructure across the U.S., with states and counties grappling with the impacts on their residents and environments.
