Citizens asked to help shape regional energy plan for next 50 years

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STORM LAKE, Iowa -- Iowa residents are invited to share how they would like the region’s energy economy to evolve over the next 50 years at a free dinner meeting Tuesday evening, February 13, 6 to 9 p.m. in the Harold Walter Siebens Forum Building at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake Iowa.

This Town Hall Meeting on our energy future is being organized by the Great Plains Institute in cooperation with Iowa Farm Bureau and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Town Hall participants will share a meal and discuss their vision of the future of energy in small groups gathered around specific energy options like efficiency, wind or biomass resources. During the meal, citizens will talk about the opportunities associated with the selected energy option. Facilitators will then work with each small group to develop action plans for that energy type.

Participants will also have the opportunity to weigh in on a draft Regional Energy Transition Roadmap that is being developed by industry executives, farm organizations and agricultural producers, state and provincial officials, and environmental advocates.

“The roadmap is being developed at the request of the International Legislators Forum, a bi-partisan group of legislative leaders from Upper Midwest states and Manitoba,” said Sara Bergan, Executive Director of the Great Plains Institute. “Legislators are looking forward to hearing what citizens think our energy priorities should be.” Once complete, the Roadmap will be presented to state, national and provincial officials.

“The input of citizens from these Town Hall Forums is vital to the legitimacy of the roadmap,” says Dave Miller, Director of Commodity Services a the Iowa Farm Bureau and a participant in the Great Plains Institute’s Powering the Plains program developing the roadmap.

“We’ve had an increasing number of Iowans express interest in learning more about the economic and environmental advantages of pursuing carbon credit and renewable energy programs. This brings everything together in one place. That’s why we’re so pleased to help sponsor this important discussion about the region’s energy future,” says Miller.

“With the public awareness of and input on this roadmap as it develops, it will become a better tool to give policymakers the right ‘compass headings’ on energy policy over the next half century,” John Sellers, Iowa farmer and participant in the Powering the Plains project.

For a preliminary look at the Roadmap’s Executive Summary go to: www.poweringtheplains.org.

The Storm Lake meeting is the only Iowa site on a six-state tour of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada to develop an Energy Roadmap for the Upper Midwest that takes advantages of the region’s strengths. The Iowa meeting is made possible in part by generous support from the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Otto Bremer Foundation.

NO RSVP REQUIRED for the Town Hall Meeting (Located at the Harold Walter Siebens Forum Building at Buena Vista University). For more information contact Sara Bergan at (612) 278-7153 or sbergan@gpisd.net. 

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The Leopold Center was established by the 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act as a research and education center at Iowa State University to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources. Iowa State does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 3210 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.

This page was found at http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/01-26-2007/citizens-asked-help-shape-regional-energy-plan-next-50-years on 01/21/2013