[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 12, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE CITY OF MOORHEAD FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE SOURCES 
                               OF ENERGY

  Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, this week, the U.S. Senate will 
begin consideration of a historic National Energy Policy, which will 
guarantee our citizens access to affordable, reliable, and renewable 
sources of energy far into the future. As we begin this historic 
debate, we can learn much from the efforts of many organizations that 
have led the way in promoting a greater reliance on renewable sources 
of energy.
  Moorhead, MN is an exceptional example of a city that has 
demonstrated a clear commitment to renewable sources of energy. 
Moorhead city officials, and the citizens themselves, are to be 
applauded for their vision of a city that will continue to reduce its 
dependence on fossil fuels for their future electricity needs.
  The city of Moorhead initiated its ``Capture the Wind'' program in 
1998--offering its municipal electric customers the opportunity to 
purchase wind energy from a turbine that would be owned and operated by 
the city. The success of the program has been nothing short of 
phenomenal.
  Three weeks after the announcement of the Capture the Wind program, 
over 400 Moorhead Public Service customers signed up to purchase 
electricity from the proposed wind turbine. Because these 400 customers 
would consume the entire capacity of the proposed turbine, the city 
began placing additional residents on a Capture the Wind program 
waiting list.
  While all other Moorhead Public Service customers would receive two-
thirds of their electricity from hydropower and one-third from a coal-
fired electric generation plant, the 400 Capture the Wind charter 
members would replace their coal-generated electricity with electricity 
generated by the 750 kilowatt wind turbine to be constructed on the 
edge of town. The Capture the Wind customers agreed to pay the 
additional cost of wind-generated electricity, amounting to one-half 
cent more for each kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed. The 
additional cost amounts to approximately $5 more per month for the 
average residential customer. This additional cost is among the lowest 
in the Nation for wind-generated electricity.
  Due to the overwhelming success of the Capture the Wind Program, the 
city of Moorhead appealed to its utility customers to help Moorhead 
``catch its second wind'' in the fall of 2000. Once again, over 400 new 
customers signed up for the program--enabling the city to build a 
second wind turbine alongside its first.
  As of last fall, the twin turbines have generated over 3.5 million 
kilowatt-hours of electricity. Thanks to the customers who have 
embraced the Capture the Wind program, these turbines have already 
prevented the emission of over 7.7 million pounds of greenhouse gases 
into our atmosphere. That has the same positive effect on the 
environment that would be achieved if we were to remove 770 cars from 
the road for one year.
  At this time, over 925 Moorhead Public Service customers have become 
Capture the Wind members, accounting for 7.3 percent of all Moorhead 
utility customers. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has 
recognized Moorhead Public Service as the utility with the highest 
percentage of its customers participating in a renewable energy program 
in the nation. Moorhead's Capture the Wind program has also earned it 
the 2001 Energy Innovator Award from the American Public Power 
Association.
  Moorhead City officials are to be commended for the phenomenal 
success of the city's Capture the Wind program. While many officials 
staked their reputations on the program's outcome, I would be remiss if 
I did not mention several leaders who especially contributed to its 
success. First and foremost, Moorhead's former mayor, Morrie Lanning--a 
man who served his city as mayor for over 22 years before retiring last 
December--is to be applauded for his solid support and advocacy for the 
Capture the Wind program. Moreover, the program would not have been 
possible without the thousands of hours of work invested by Bill 
Schwandt, General Manager of Moorhead Public Service, and Christopher 
Reed, Manager of Energy Services and Marketing.
  But most important, the 925 members of the Capture the Wind program 
deserve special recognition for their commitment to renewable energy. 
The rest of the Nation can learn much from Moorhead's example. We can 
learn that when citizens are informed about the importance of reducing 
our reliance on fossil fuels for our energy needs, many are willing to 
pay a little bit more to help secure our energy future. The citizens of 
Moorhead can lead the way to a brighter future for all of us.

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