Our readers might remembers that GOP endorsee Brian Davis doesn't go for programs that help support renewable energy:
Davis tells KAAL he doesn't favor programs helping renewable energy (Southern Minnesota's renewable energy industry includes wind, biomass, and biofuels):
"I support alternative energy but I support it on the free market - -we need to get back to free market principles and not always look to government to solve things."
Reading Wind Turbine Erected For Nobles Cooperative Electric in the Nobles County Review, we have to wonder how he' explain that view to people in that area (or Governor Pawlenty for that matter):
A USDA grant was received in 2003 to help NCE develop renewable energy through the proposed turbine. Additional financing assistance have been received through (CREBs) from the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). Nobles will receive $2.5 million in proceeds from CREBs. CFC is a non-profit finance cooperative that serves rural utility systems, and secured the bond financing as part of a federal program to fund renewable energy projects.
"These wind projects have been in the works as part of our commitment to renewable energy since 2003", said General Manager Richard Burud. "CFC and USDAs assistance was instrumental in securing the financing, which was the difference between doing the project and not doing the project."
It is hoped to have the new wind turbine operating by next month. The turbine is estimated to produce 6,480,000 kilowatt-hours annually to help meet the member's needs. This project will help Nobles toward meeting Minnesota's 25 percent mandate on renewable energy by 2025
He doesn't support energy mandates either, although every state legislator in Southern Minnesota (including Davis's primary challenger, Senator Day), regardless of party, voted for the legislature that put them in place. And yet Davis is fond of repeating the Republican mantra that Congressman Walz is out of touch with his district. Go figure.
Elsewhere in the Southwestern Minnesota weekly, we learn Marriah Wieneke Wins Essay Contest:
One student from Nobles Cooperative Electric's service area was selected to represent our cooperative on a week-long, all-expense paid tour of Washington D.C., June 14-19.
Marriah Wieneke, a sophomore at Adrian High School, was selected on March 24 as the cooperative's Youth Tour delegate. She will be representing Nobles Cooperative Electric among 13,000 high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors from cooperatives throughout the country. Marriah is the daughter of Andrew and Michele of rural Lismore.
Marriah's history teacher told the class about the contest but she didn't think much about it. Then the HS Counselor, Mrs. Rozell, told Marriah she should write one. Marriah came home and talked to her parents about it. Her dad, Andrew, told her a good subject to write about would be wind power since so many wind turbines have gone up in our area. She did some research, wrote her 300-word essay, and sent it in. . . .
The Washington Youth Tour is a tour of our nation's capitol that includes meetings with national leaders, as well as visiting all the major sights. Students also meet and discuss their views and interests with students from other states while learning about government, history, careers in public service and electric cooperatives. Nobles Cooperative Electric sponsors this program to identify and encourage future leaders in our community.
Congratulations, Marriah! Have fun in Washington
Over in the Faribault Daily News, which covers part of Senator Day's district, a headline caught our eye, Race is on for 175 new jobs. The jobs are in the wind industry:
City officials are scrambling to accommodate development that would bring as many as 175 jobs to Faribault, provided the site is annexed into city limits.
Officials for Moventas, a manufacturer of wind turbine gears based in Finland, will visit the site about a mile north of city limits on April 12, and the county and developer Met-Con are looking for assurance that the city will support the project before that date. . . .
. . .Jim Bjork, Moventas' vice president for North American expansion, on Tuesday confirmed Faribault is being considered for the plant, but would say little else about the project.
"Faribault is on the radar screen for sure," he said. "I'd say it's a real and probable project and Faribault is a real candidate."
Officials for Met-Con and the county told the City Council at its meeting Tuesday evening that Faribault is competing with Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the 100,000 square foot assembly plant, the company's first in the nation. The $7.2 million plant would open on the 10-acre site in the third quarter of 2009, employing 83 laborers in its first year of operation, 125 in the next and up to 175 by year four, according to county documents.
County officials also said that the project's size and relation to the state's renewable energy initiative have drawn attention from high places. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has spoken with the company, and the state's employment and economic development departments have been active in recruiting the company, County Economic Development Director Deanna Kuennen said. . . .
When Congressman Walz holds economic summits on renewable energy, that's the sort of economic development the gathered experts discuss.
Congressman Walz and his staff will be in Nobles County on Saturday to discuss other important government programs: those for our veterans. Here are the details:
Congressman Tim Walz. . . will host a veterans forum at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 at the American Legion in Worthington. Walz will review veterans legislation passed by the Congress in 2007 and will discuss veterans initiatives he plans to push for in 2008.
During his first year in Congress, Walz has been a leader on veterans issues, fighting for the largest increase in funding for the Veterans Administration in the 77 year history of the VA, and working to ease the transition between active duty and veterans' status.
Walz Worthington Veterans Forum
Saturday, April 5
2:00 p.m.
American Legion
1906 Oxford St.
Worthington, MN
All veterans forums are free and open to the public and press. No RSVP is necessary.
Various news sources are buzzing with the news of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's stop in the Twin Cities to meet with vets from the First. The Star Tribune reports Veterans will get face time with Pelosi, KEYC-TV Pelosi To Join Walz At Forum, and KSTP Speaker Pelosi to meet with Twin Cities vets (not quite right on the home towns of the veterans in the last headline).
Comments