How a reluctant Iowa farming county undid a ban on battery storage canarymedia.com

Cherokee County, Iowa, supervisors voted 5–0 on Aug. 26 to replace a moratorium with rules allowing battery storage projects, clearing a path for the Smith family and Nomad Infrastructure to pursue an $80 million solar-and-battery installation. Supervisor Mark Bellefy argued the project could bring $60,000–$80,000 in annual tax revenue; safety workshops and input from the fire chief helped ease colleagues’ concerns.