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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Could Wind Power Breathe Life into Small Town Iowa?

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Friday, January 26, 2007   

In the President's State of the Union Address he once again stressed the importance of moving to renewable fuels for national security reasons. But for towns lucky enough to land a wind farm, it's a matter of economic security. Comments from Pomeroy, Iowa mayor Gene Becker, and Mid American Energy wind project manager Tom Budler.

Many of Iowa's small towns that dot the landscape have one thing in common - boarded up business districts and blocks of empty homes. What might save them is the nation's switch to renewable energy sources like wind. Communities fortunate enough to get a wind farm are already seeing the economic benefits. Mid American Energy will start construction this spring on a 123 megawatt facility, one of the largest wind generation facilities built in Iowa so far, just on the outskirts of Pomeroy in northwest Iowa. The mayor of the town of 700 is Gene Becker. He thinks the biggest economic impact on his community will come when the workmen arrive.

"Biggest part of it is going to be the building of it, 'cause that would bring the 600 and some employees in."

He expects the town's only restaurant and convenience store to benefit during the nine month construction phase as well as the rental of dozens of empty homes to those workers. Tom Budler, the wind project manager for Mid American Energy, says once the work is done on a wind project, the surrounding area benefits from the taxes paid on the property.

"You know, a half a million dollars per year per each of these projects. So, it is significant to the local community."

Budler says usually about a half dozen high paying jobs are created that stay in the community, and the company will need to contract for some local work and supplies, which will also help the local economy in the long run.

Communities fortunate enough to get a wind farm are already seeing the economic benefits. Mid American Energy will start construction this spring on one of the largest wind generation facilities built in Iowa so far, just on the outskirts of Pomeroy in northwest Iowa. Craig Lewis reports.



Gene Becker is at 712-468-2338.




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