Commissioners approve 2-year moratorium ordinances on 1st reading for farm solar, battery storage, data centers, & carbon capture

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 2:30 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The Marshall County Commissioners passed several ordinances on the first readings that will create moratoriums on solar, battery storage, data centers, and carbon capture during Monday’s meeting.

County Plan Director Lydia Dutton was not present at the meeting so County Attorney Sean Surrisi presented the ordinances.

At the beginning of January, during a special meeting, the commissioners began the process of placing a two-year moratorium on Farm-Scale Solar Energy Systems, Utility Battery Energy Storage Systems, Data Centers, and Carbon Capture Projects. The attorney said the Technical Review Committee (TRC) reviewed them and gave favorable recommendations public hearings were held during the last Plan Commission meeting and resolutions were adopted to certify the proposals back to the commissioners for adoption.

The county attorney prepared the four ordinances for consideration at Monday’s meeting.

Commissioner Stan Klotz said, “At the Plan Commission meeting we only had one or two people speak. We took each one separately and had public hearings for all four. Everything was favorable and they passed with favorable recommendations to approve by the members present. We didn’t have a full board, I think six and they were unanimous.” Klotz continued saying, “We don’t need to have another public hearing since that was done through the Plan Commission.

It takes three readings to pass ordinances, so the commissioners approved all four on their first readings Monday morning.