NADO Members in the Media

ALBANY -- The New York Energy Research and Development Authority will make money available to New York's ten regional planning commissions as they deal with wind power issues.

NYSERDA anticipates spending about $150,000 in the coming year to support planning commissions with material and research, said NYSERDA spokeswoman Jean Donovan.

"Wind project development is a recent advancement that localities have had to contend with; and often local governments do not have the resources to adequately address land use issues associated with the development," said NYSERDA president and CEO Peter Smith. "NYSERDA is offering a pilot program to train and assist regional planning councils so that they can provide information and assistance to local municipalities that face zoning and planning issues associated with wind project development."

The pilot program will provide technical training and assistance to planning councils so that they can help local planning boards, Donovan said.

Southwest RDC Helps Bridge Metro-Rural Renewable Energy Event

SLAYTON -- The Southwest Regional Development Commission -- headquartered in Slayton, Minnesota – is part of an innovative metro-rural partnership exploring new sources and consumers for renewable energy in the state. As the organization providing staff support to the Rural Minnesota Energy Board, the Southwest RDC was recently involved in organizing a two-day tour of renewable energy facilities, including wind, bio-diesel and ethanol plants, for the 8 -county member Metropolitan Energy Task Force.

The metro and southwestern Minnesota counties are primarily focused on harnessing the extensive wind power generated in the southwest portion of the state and shipping it to the Twin Cities region. Among the options being discussed is the development of a 120-to150-megawatt wind energy project that would cost between $240 million to $300 million while providing power to county facilities equivalent to that used by 40,000 homes. The tour was part of the initial phase of the partnership and the leaders acknowledged that there are many technical and policy issues to work out, including governance and ownership models, transmission and distribution methods, and utility industry concerns.

For more information, contact Jay Trusty, Executive Director of the Southwest Regional Development Commission at 507-836-8547 x106 or execdir@swrdc.org. To read the local newspaper coverage of the tour and project visit:

• http://www.marshallindependent.com/include/articles.asp?articleID=3700
• http://www.marshallindependent.com/include/articles.asp?articleID=3633
• http://www.startribune.com/462/story/514743.html